More Than 600 Graduates to Be Honored; Honorary Degrees for Senator Warnock and Dean Emeritus DeWayne Wickham
BALTIMORE — Morgan State University President David K. Wilson announced today that U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael G. Warnock will deliver the keynote address at the University’s 12th Annual Fall Commencement Exercises on Friday, December 19, 2025.
Senator Warnock, senior pastor of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and the first African American elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate, will be joined by Dean Emeritus DeWayne Wickham, founding dean of Morgan’s School of Global Journalism and Communication. Both will receive honorary doctorates during the ceremony at the Talmadge L. Hill Field House.
“We are honored to welcome Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock to deliver the keynote address at Morgan’s Fall Commencement,” said President Wilson. “Senator Warnock represents the very essence of moral leadership—someone who leads with conviction, courage, and a steadfast commitment to justice and service. 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.”
Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock: From Savannah to the Senate
A proud son of Savannah, Georgia, Senator Warnock was raised in public housing by Pentecostal pastors Jonathan and Verlene Warnock—the eleventh of twelve children. His parents taught him early the transformative power of faith, education, and hard work.
The first in his family to graduate from college, Warnock earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology, cum laude, from Morehouse College, before completing master’s and doctoral degrees in systematic theology from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.
At 35, he became the youngest person ever called to serve as Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church—the spiritual home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a cornerstone of the modern civil rights movement. Under his leadership, Ebenezer has continued to stand at the intersection of faith and social action, expanding opportunities for underserved communities and advancing equity, justice, and human dignity.
Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2021 and re-elected to a full term in 2022, Senator Warnock continues his ministry of public service—fighting to protect voting rights, support working families, and ensure access to affordable health care. His historic dual calling as pastor and public servant embodies a lifelong dedication to giving voice to the voiceless and hope to the marginalized.
Senator Warnock will receive an Honorary Doctor of Public Service.
Dean Emeritus DeWayne Wickham: Baltimore’s Truth-Teller
Dean Emeritus DeWayne Wickham
Dean Emeritus DeWayne Wickham has spent more than five decades at the intersection of journalism, education, and advocacy. Born and raised in Baltimore’s Cherry Hill neighborhood, Wickham’s story is one of resilience and purpose.
His early service in the U.S. Air Force, where he earned the Vietnam Service Medal, preceded a journalism career that made him one of the nation’s most respected Black journalists. Wickham reported for The Baltimore Sun and U.S. News & World Report, served as a correspondent for CBS News and BET, and penned a nationally syndicated column for USA TODAY for three decades.
His reporting carried him around the world—from documenting Nelson Mandela’s U.S. tour to chronicling Haiti’s journey toward democracy—and his writing has shaped national discourse on race, politics, and justice.
A founding member and past president of the National Association of Black Journalists, Wickham was inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame in 2016 and honored with the Society of Professional Journalists’ Fellow of the Society Award.
In 2012, at President Wilson’s invitation, Wickham served as founding dean of Morgan’s School of Global Journalism and Communication, transforming it into a nationally acclaimed program. Today, as director of Morgan’s Center for New Media and Strategic Initiatives, he continues to elevate truth-telling—most recently as executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning documentary “History of a National Treasure: The Story of Morgan State University.”
Wickham will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
Two Paths, One Purpose
“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 President 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 the stories of the many graduates who have earned the great distinction of ‘Morgan Alumnus.'”
Morgan State University’s Fall 2025 Commencement will take place Friday, December 19, at the Talmadge L. Hill Field House. More than 600 graduates will be recognized.