Hey, Golden Tigers! Everybody is excited and getting ready for the 2016 Summer Commencement Exercises in Tuskegee University Chapel, but another big arrival is coming to town soon: actor Derek Luke.
And yet, the actor has big shoes to fill in speaking at the black university.
He follows Tyler Perry, who we recently named to our 2016’s best commencement speeches at HBCUs list. And who can forget the 2015 spring commencement speech at Tuskegee delivered by the one and only U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama. In addition to this list of world-renowned speakers at Tuskegee, actress and director Phylicia Rashad also was the speaker for the summer commencement ceremonies in 2015, according to the school’s website.
Dr. Brian L. Johnson, Tuskegee University president, said, “Tuskegee University is very pleased that Mr. Luke will be addressing our summer 2016 graduates. Without question, he has been a trailblazer on many fronts within the filmmaking industry, and what I have come to know of him as a person clearly trumps these achievements.”
He added, “Derek, indeed, represents the caliber of commencement speaker fit to pour into the lives of our very best and brightest here at Tuskegee University, and we welcome him with open arms.”
Luke, best known for his role as Antwone Fisher in the critically acclaimed film of the same name, will be up for the challenge we believe.
He will deliver the keynote address at Tuskegee’s summer commencement ceremonies later this month.
Congrats to all the Tuskegee grads of 2016!
