HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge among FAMU commencement speakers

Stay up to date follow us on Twitter @RattlerNationFL

On Friday and Saturday, more FAMU expects to confer more than 1,200 degrees at three commencement ceremonies on May 5 and May 6 at the Al Lawson Jr Multipurpose Center.

US HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, J.D., will headline the group of noted commencement speakers.  Fudge, is a former national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, past Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and served as the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district from 2008 to 2021. 

 
As secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fudge oversees an agency that creates housing policies for more than 9 million low-income Americans. She played a critical role in the Biden Administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has left millions of Americans without the means to pay rent and tackled the mission of bringing stability to working families who struggle with housing insecurity.

She is the first female HUD Secretary in more than 40 years, which is significant when you consider that most low-income households are led by women.

Fudge will speak to graduates at 9 am on Saturday morning.

Calvin Mackie, Ph.D., president & chief executive officer (CEO) of STEM NOLA, will deliver the keynote address to graduates from the College of Education; College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health; School of Allied Health Sciences; and School of the Environment, on Friday at 6 pm.

Mackie is an award-winning inventor, author, former engineering professor, internationally renowned speaker, and entrepreneur. In 2013, he founded STEM NOLA, a non-profit organization created to expose, inspire, and engage communities in the opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

In 1990, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Morehouse College with a Bachelor of Science degree as a member of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society. Simultaneously, he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, where he subsequently earned his master’s and doctorate in Mechanical Engineering in 1996.

Finally, Harry Williams, Ph.D, the president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), will address graduates from the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences; FAMU-FSU College of Engineering; College of Law; College of Science and Technology; School of Business and Industry; School of Journalism & Graphic Communication; and School of Nursing, during the 2 p.m. ceremony on Saturday.  

The TMCF’s 47 member-schools are America’s publicly supported Historically Black Colleges (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), educating nearly 300,000 students. Under his leadership, TMCF has created innovative partnerships, increased organizational stability, and advanced bipartisan HBCU support.

Under Williams, TMCF has experienced tremendous growth, expanded its revenue three-fold, and doubled its corporate partnerships. His leadership has solidified TMCF as the premier representative of the HBCU community. He has inked partnerships with leading corporations such as The Boeing Company, Medtronic, Visa, Ally Financial, and Hennessy USA, and successfully reimagined long-term partnerships with companies such as Lowe’s, the NBA, and Wells Fargo, cementing TMCF has the premier source for major employers seeking top diverse talent for competitive internships and corporate careers.

Williams previously served as president of Delaware State University.

The Lawson Center’s doors will open two hours before the ceremonies begin. Tickets are not required.