Morgan State University announced U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock as the keynote speaker for the twelfth annual Fall Commencement on Dec. 19, 2025.
Warnock is the senior pastor of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and the first Black person elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate.
Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Warnock graduated from Morehouse College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He went on to earn his master’s and doctorate in systematic theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
At 35, Warnock became the youngest person to serve as senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the same church where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once served as co-pastor.
Warnock was elected in 2021 and has since dedicated himself to fighting modern civil rights issues and advocating for voting rights, working-class families, health care and more.
“Senator Warnock represents the very essence of moral leadership—someone who leads with conviction, courage, and a steadfast commitment to justice and service,” said David Wilson, Morgan State’s president.
“His life’s work, from the pulpit to the Senate floor, serves as a powerful example for our graduates as they prepare to embark on their own paths of impact and purpose.”
During the ceremony, Warnock will also receive an honorary doctorate of public service.
DeWayne Wickham, the founding dean of Morgan’s School of Global Journalism and Communication, will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters.
Wickham has been in the journalism industry for more than five decades, reporting for The Baltimore Sun and USA Today.
He is a founding member of the National Association of Black Journalists and served as the executive producer of the Emmy award-winning documentary “History of a National Treasure: The Story of Morgan State University.”
“In their distinct callings, Senator Warnock and Dean Wickham reflect the very soul of service—one through the pulpit, the other through the pen,” said Wilson.
“Both are defenders of truth and champions for the people. It is our privilege to honor them at this milestone moment, not just in Morgan’s story, but in many graduates’ stories who have successfully earned the great distinction of ‘Morgan Alumnus.’”
The commencement is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 19, in the Hill Field House.
