MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Florida Memorial University (FMU) held its 137th commencement on May 14. At the commencement ceremony, FMU President Roslyn Clark Artis, J.D., Ed.D., conferred approximately 270 undergraduate degrees and 38 graduate degrees with the top five areas of concentration in Psychology, Education, Social Work, Criminal Justice and Business Administration. The ceremony was the first held in the Florida Memorial University Athletic and Wellness Center, a multi-purpose arena, wellness and educational center that will include a gymnasium with two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II regulation basketball courts, with seating for approximately 2,016 spectators, an indoor walking track, a weight room, dance studio, and lecture halls, in addition to faculty/staff office space.

The commencement address was given by Ivory Toldson, Ph.D., executive director for the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). “We are honored to have Dr. Ivory Toldson as our 2016 Commencement speaker. Dr. Toldson is a prominent scholar and a fierce advocate for HBCUs,” said Artis. “I cannot think of anyone better suited to deliver the commencement address for the graduating class at Florida Memorial — one of the nation’s oldest and purposefully progressive HBCUs.”