May 16, 2019 Graduate Commencement Address

Jahi Akinwole (Stanley Jenkins Jr.)

Greetings all! The commencement speech which you are about to view was the culmination of several years of arduous yet rewarding graduate course work at THE Morgan State University. My wife, ND Jones, and I were blessed to have both attended MSU for advanced course work and to have graduated on the same day! Wow, what a blessing!  Thus, it should not be surprising that the commencement speech I delivered that day was flushed with the excitement and jubilation of that stupendous moment as we celebrated, with our fellow graduate Morganites, the victory of academic achievement at its most advanced levels.  Beneath the celebratory nature of this speech, I provided a small glimpse into my philosophy of higher education and the need for human beings to grow through intellectual and social challenges.  I celebrated the virtues of perseverance, grit, and intelligence and spoke about the potential impact of education upon race and so much more. As you view this video, I hope that it provides you with the ammunition and desire to fulfill your life’s ambition or to help you through one of life’s many struggles. But if it does nothing more than brings a smile to your face than this speech has done its job.

-Jahi Akinwole