Commencement
151st Commencement
The Fisk Commencement committee is looking forward to welcoming our degree candidates from the mighty class of 2025 on Sunday, May 4, 2025, as they celebrate their graduation from the Illustrious Fisk University.
Currently, and as long as safety permits, we hope to celebrate this celebration in person, and following tradition, complete with all the regalia, pomp, circumstance, and processions that we have come to anticipate as a Fisk Family.
Details are still being finalized, but we intend to publish updates here, on this page, and through our student affairs partners across the institution.
We would want to express our heartfelt appreciation to individuals on and off campus who have prioritized the academic success of our students.
Location: House of God Church, 2714 Scovel Street, Nashville,TN 37208
TICKETS:
Graduates will be given 8 tickets for the event (EVERYONE will need a ticket to enter into the commencement ceremony).
151st Commencement Ceremony Speakers:
Dr. Cynthia Turner-Graham & Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Dr. Cynthia Turner-Graham is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who was awarded a Music Scholarship to attend Fisk University (performed with the Fisk Jazz Ensemble and Woodwind Quintet) and completed her undergraduate studies with a degree in Chemistry. She received her Medical Degree from the University of Kansas, and training in Adult Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Dr. Turner-Graham is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, has practiced psychiatry in private and public settings for more than 30 years, and served in several executive leadership positions. She has provided administrative leadership to several organizations, including as Vice President for Medical Affairs at Centerstone Community Mental Health Center and Medical Director of Inner City Family Services in Anacostia, District of Columbia.
More recently, Dr. Turner-Graham has “repositioned” – not retired - in order to spend more time with family and pursue civic and political interests. As immediate Past-President of Black Psychiatrists of America, Inc., she continues to mentor the next generation of mental health professionals. Dr. Turner-Graham also serves on the board of the American Psychiatric Association’s Psychiatric News, is a Director for Genius Brands / Kartoon Studios, a company In Los Angeles, California who produces children’s programming “with a purpose”. In addition, she is a Trustee at American Baptist College in Nashville, TN. As a member of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Dr. Turner-Graham is involved in the Social Justice Ministry, currently working to create a Saturday School curriculum to develop young leaders, and correct the distortions of our rich Diasporic history. Pursuing a life of spiritual, emotional and physical wellness is the organizing focus of her personal life, and she actively encourages others to do the same. Building community and empowering others to invest deliberately and strategically in their physical and mental health serves to energize and inspire her ongoing work post-retirement.
With her husband, Dr. Barney Graham, they have three adult children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
BACCALAUREATE SERVICE SPEAKER
The Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu knew from early in life that the one thing she would never be is a priest. She has always said, “I have my father’s nose, I do not want his job” but life had other plans...
After years spent as a development consultant, educator and race and gender activist she accepted her call to ordained ministry. She is an Episcopal priest who most recently was Associate Rector at All Saints, Beverly Hills.
The challenges of growing black and female in apartheid South Africa have been the foundation of Naomi’s life as an activist for human rights. Those experiences taught her that our whole human family loses when we accept situations of oppression, and how the teaching and preaching hate and division injure us all.
Rev. Tutu is the third child Archbishop Desmond and Nomalizo Leah Tutu. She was born in South Africa and had the opportunity to live in many communities and countries. She was educated in Swaziland, the US and England, and has divided her adult life between South Africa and the US. Growing up the ‘daughter of …’ has offered Naomi Tutu many opportunities and challenges in her life. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges she has struggled with is the call to ministry. This call refused to be silenced, even as she carried her passion for justice into other fields, the call to preach and serve as an ordained clergyperson continued to tug at her. Finally, in her 50’s she responded to the call and went to seminary.
Her professional experience ranges from being a development consultant in West Africa, to being program coordinator for programs on Race and Gender and Gender-based Violence in Education at the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town. In addition, Rev. Tutu has taught at the University of Hartford, University of Connecticut and Brevard College in North Carolina. She served as Program Coordinator for the historic Race Relations Institute at Fisk University and was a part of the Institute’s delegation to the World Conference Against Racism in Durban.
She started her public speaking as a college student at Berea College in Kentucky in the 1970’s when she was invited to speak at churches, community groups and colleges and universities about her experiences growing up in apartheid South Africa. Since that time, she has become a much sought-after speaker to groups as varied as business associations, professional conferences, elected officials and church and civic organizations. She currently resides in Atlanta where she is a priest associate at All Saint's Episcopal.
PARKING:
MEDIA INQUIRIES:
For credentialing information, please contact The Office of Marketing and Communications at universityrelations@fisk.edu or Finn Partners at Taylor.Wilson@finnpartners.com.
LIVESTREAMING WILL BE AVAILABLE VIA FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE
