TIAA President and CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett to Deliver Morgan State University Spring 2025 Commencement Address

Duckett, One of the Few Black Women Leading a Fortune 500 Company, to Inspire More Than 1,000 Graduates

BALTIMORE – Morgan State University has selected Thasunda Brown Duckett, president and CEO of TIAA, to deliver the keynote address at its 148th Spring Commencement Ceremony. As one of the few Black women to lead a Fortune 500 company, Duckett is a trailblazer in financial services, championing economic empowerment and wealth equity.

During the ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at W.A.C. Hughes Memorial Stadium, Duckett will share words of purpose and inspiration with more than 1,000 expected graduates, encouraging them as they progress on their life paths. Her leadership at TIAA, a leading provider of secure retirements and investment solutions, reflects her deep commitment to financial well-being and social impact, aligning with Morgan’s mission to empower future leaders. 

“Commencement represents a pivotal milestone for our students, celebrating both the culmination of their hard work and the beginning of their next chapter. We are excited for them to hear from Thasunda Brown Duckett, a true trailblazer, as she shares her inspiring journey of perseverance and determination,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University and a member of the TIAA Board of Governors. “Ms. Duckett embodies the spirit of leadership and resilience, exemplifying the women pioneers who are breaking barriers, creating opportunities, and paving the way for future generations.”

In May 2021, Duckett became only the third Black woman at the time to serve as CEO of a Fortune 500 company when she was appointed the top executive of TIAA. Before joining TIAA, Duckett held several key executive and leadership roles during a 17-year career at JP Morgan Chase, including CEO of the Consumer Bank and Auto Finance. She also served as a director of Emerging Markets at Fannie Mae. Under her leadership, TIAA is expanding its mission of providing investment opportunities beyond higher education to all Americans saving for retirement. Her focus has been on upholding the goals and values of the company through financial inclusion and opportunity. 

“I am truly honored to celebrate this milestone with Morgan State University’s graduating class as they embark on their next journey,” said Duckett. “My hope is to inspire the next generation of leaders by showing that no dream is out of reach. With hard work, resilience, and commitment, they can shape their futures and make a lasting impact on the world.”

In addition to serving on the boards of NIKE, Inc., Brex Inc., Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Sesame Workshop, and the National Medal of Honor Museum, Duckett is an appointee to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the Business Council Executive Committee, and the Committee for Economic Development. She also serves on the board of Business Roundtable.

Duckett, who holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from the University of Houston and an MBA from Baylor University, has received numerous accolades from various financial media outlets, including Fortune, Forbes, Barron’s, and American Banker. She has also been recognized as one of the TIME100 Most Influential People in the World, named a CNBC Changemaker, and inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

During the commencement ceremony, the University will also honor Burney Hollis, Ph.D., a distinguished former faculty member with strong ties to Morgan and the community. He will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in recognition of his commitment to education, excellence in teaching, and service to the University. He is the longest-serving Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Hollis graduated summa cum laude with an A.B. degree from Morgan State College in 1968. He later earned both an A.M. and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971 and 1978, respectively, focusing on Colonial and Nineteenth Century American Literature as well as African American Literature. 

During his tenure at Morgan, Dr. Hollis held numerous positions, including professor of English, Director of the University Honors Program, Chair of the Department of English, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and Dean Emeritus (College of Liberal Arts). After 48 years of dedicated service, Dr. Hollis officially retired from Morgan in December 2018. Following his retirement, he was appointed by the Governor of Maryland to serve as a member of the University’s Board of Regents, a position he held until stepping down in 2024.

When former Morgan President Earl S. Richardson appointed him dean in 1988, Dr. Hollis, at 42, was likely the youngest dean ever appointed at Morgan. He served in this role for more than 21 years, ending his tenure in December 2010. On his recommendation, the College of Arts and Sciences was divided into two distinct schools in 1998: The College of Liberal Arts and the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences. Dr. Hollis is best remembered for the incredible strides made under his leadership to transform and advance the College of Liberal Arts into becoming the academic center that is realized today.

Morgan will host its Graduate School Spring Commencement on Thursday, May 15, and its undergraduate Spring Commencement on May 17. For more information about Morgan’s Spring Commencement Exercises visit the official commencement site online.

About Morgan
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 academic degree and certificate programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.

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Media Contacts:
Cheryl Stewart or Larry Jones,  for Morgan State University PR
443-885-3022