Grambling State University has announced that Emmy Award–winning journalist and media entrepreneur Jemele Hill will serve as the Fall 2025 Commencement speaker, bringing one of the most influential voices in sports, culture, and media to one of the most storied institutions in HBCU history.
Hill, the co-founder of Lodge Freeway Media and a prominent contributing writer for The Atlantic, will address graduates on Friday, December 5, 2025, inside the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center. The ceremony begins at 10:00 AM CST at 100 North Stadium Drive in Grambling, Louisiana.
Jemele Hill and HBCU connection
Her appearance marks a major moment for Grambling State, an HBCU with a long tradition of producing leaders across athletics, education, business, and public service. Hill’s career trajectory—from the Detroit Free Press and Raleigh News & Observer to ESPN and her award-winning podcast Jemele Hill is Unbothered—mirrors the determination and excellence celebrated across the HBCU landscape. She has spoken at several HBCU events over the years.
The Fall 2025 commencement will recognize graduates from across the five HBCU academic divisions:
Graduate Studies
Doctor of Education; Master’s programs in Teaching, Social Sciences, Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, Public Administration, Criminal Justice, Developmental Education, Sports Administration, Nursing, Social Work; and Post-Master’s Certificates
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology, Chemistry, Child Development, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering Technology, English, General Studies, History, Mathematics, Music, Political Science, Visual and Performing Arts
Thomas and Joyce Moorehead College of Business and Entrepreneurship
Accounting, CIS, Economics, Management, Marketing
College of Education
Kinesiology, Leisure Studies, Teacher Education
College of Professional Studies
Criminal Justice, Mass Communications, Nursing, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology
With Jemele Hill delivering the keynote, Grambling State is set to give its Fall 2025 graduates a commencement experience rooted in storytelling, truth-telling, and the enduring power of the HBCU community.