Special to The Truth
An Ohio congresswoman is among the graduates of the nation’s first, private, historically Black colleges/universities. Congresswoman Shontel Brown, representing Ohio’s 11th congressional district in Cleveland, was the keynote speaker at the commencement exercises for Wilberforce University, Saturday, May 7. Along with 92 others who received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, Congresswoman Brown received her undergraduate degree in organizational management from CLIMB, the university’s accelerated, adult degree program. Elfred Anthony Pinkard, PhD, the university’s 22nd president, conferred the degrees.
The ceremony also featured co-valedictorians Leticia Johnson and Jasmyne Anderson who are academically tied point for point. Included in a bit of nostalgia is the class of 1972 – the Golden Grads, some of whom returned to the university and wore gold colored gowns indicating they walked across the same stage and received their degrees from Wilberforce 50 years ago.
