Tennessee State University is gearing up for its highly anticipated fall commencement ceremony, set to take place on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at 9 a.m. The event will be held at the prestigious Gentry Center Complex, where nearly 700 graduating students will proudly walk the stage to receive their hard-earned degrees.

Journalist and former CNN anchor, Don Lemon will serve as commencement speaker. Lemon, who has anchored the popular CNN primetime program “Don Lemon Tonight,” as well as “CNN This Morning,” brings a wealth of experience and insights to share with the graduating class.

Don Lemon joined CNN in 2006 and became a lead anchor on his own shows starting in 2014. Lemon departed CNN in April 2023.

“I was honored to get the invitation from President Glenda Glover to be the guest speaker for this important milestone in a student’s life. I look forward to sharing parts of my journey and what I’ve experienced as a journalist, in hopes of inspiring the class of 2023 to leave their mark on the world. Make it a better place for human beings, as they embody the TSU motto of think, work, serve,” Lemon said in a statement released by Tennessee State University.

Throughout his decades-long career of almost three decades, Lemon has been recognized with numerous awards, including an Edward R. Murrow award, multiple Emmys, and a Peabody award, among others. His contributions as a journalist have taken him across the globe, covering significant breaking news stories from both the anchor desk and on location.

Some of Lemon’s notable coverage includes the war in Ukraine, which earned him a Peabody Award in 2022. He has also reported on historic events, such as the death of Osama Bin Laden and the presidential inaugurations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. In addition, Lemon has covered several sensitive topics, including the school shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Newtown, Connecticut, as well as the high-profile deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, George Floyd, and Tyre Nichols.

Before joining CNN, Lemon’s esteemed career included positions as an anchor and correspondent at NBC and MSNBC television networks, as well as local stations in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and St. Louis.

The commencement ceremony will also be broadcast on Tennessee State University’s YouTube University’s YouTube channel. Lemon follows billionaire media mogul, philanthropist, and Tennessee State alumna Oprah Winfrey, who served as Tennessee State’s commencement speaker in the Spring.