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Sojourner-Douglass College 27th Annual Commencement Ceremony
Graduate student Colleen A. Fraser gave a rousing introduction for the guest speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient, "The Honorable Mayor Sheila Dixoooooon!" to which
Mayor Dixon responded she was not expecting such cheer! To the delight of the graduates Mayor Dixon stated that as a reprieve from the professors and late nights, she had a 25 page speech that could take 45 minutes but that instead she would "only take five to ten minutes." At the responding applause she replied, "What, y'all happy that I'm only going to take 5 to 10 minutes?"
 Mayor Dixon, like Dr. Stanton, reminded the grads that this was not the end; "The struggle continues- A Luta Continua!" She points:
"Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and your world better than you found it.
And so if you leave here with your degree today, be it your Bachelor's or Master's, whatever degree you're getting, and
if you hold on to it only for yourself, then you have not accomplished anything. But if you take that degree, take this
experience, and continue to map out your life along with the people within your community, can you imagine what this city, what this state, what this country, what this world would be like? Can you imagine?"
She went on to emphasize:
"Can you imagine if we paid our professors and our teachers what we pay basketball players, football players and baseball players, because they mold the minds of all of us? ...Can you imagine?"
The Mayor's powerful message was met with more cheers and applause. Mayor Dixon went on to present the president of Sojourner-Douglass College
Dr. Charles W. Simmons with a certificate of recognition from the City followed by Dr. Simmons' Response and General Remarks.
Dr. Simmons' resounding speech informed the crowd of the expansive new programs, courses and initiatives in which Sojourner-Douglass College was currently engaged. Amongst which, Dr. Simmons announced:
- S-DC recently started a new program in St. Croix The Virgin Islands,
- 18 new degree programs have begun,
- new certificate program in Political Campaign Management,
- Bachelor's now offered in Urban Planning and Community Development,
- Bachelor of Science now offered in Biotechnology and Information Technology,
- and the new Licensed Practical Nurse Program.
- Regarding the Certification in Political Campaign Management we offer the masters, bachelors and certificate in Political Campaign Management.
 Speaking of the need to ensure Sojourner-Douglass College stays connected to the community and helping the neighborhood it serves to thrive, Dr. Simmons brings to light the Sojourner-Douglass College Inner Harbor East Community Development Corporation. This collaboration with the East Baltimore Community Corporation and the tenant councils of five public housing complexes in the S-DC service area will perpetuate the cycle of restructuring, redeveloping, and rebuilding in the areas that are within arms reach of the campus. In this aspect, S-DC is demonstrating the lesson that the guest speakers have attempted to pass on; take the knowledge to improve the lives of others and their community or it's knowledge
is wasted.
Dr. Simmons also made note of a dynamic trio of self-determined women on the international, national and local levels all with local roots. "Internationally, we recently saw the election of the first female Head-of-State in Africa, the President of Liberia Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, [whose] campaign manager, Attorney Larry Gibson, is a native and resident of Baltimore. Nationally we witnessed the installation of Ms. Nancy Pelosi, the first female Democratic Leader and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Also the first woman to lead a major political party in Congress, with roots in Baltimore. Her father Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. served as Mayor of Baltimore for 12 years after representing the city for five terms in Congress. Her brother Thomas D'Alesandro III also served as Mayor of Baltimore.
"And of local note," Dr. Simmons continues, "our most personal of the trio, is the first female Mayor of the City of Baltimore, our own Honorable Sheila Dixon, and we are proud that today she will also become an alumna of Sojourner-Douglass College."
 The Honorary Degrees are bestowed upon both Mayor Dixon and the current Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Baltimore City Public School System, Dr. Charlene Cooper-Boston.
With growing anticipation the Master's candidates were given their hoods and final words of encouragement and send-off by their mentors, and handed their degrees and Bachelor's degrees were handed out. The last degree handed out went to a well-worthy student who demonstrated an even higher level of perseverance during her matriculation and received two standing ovations; Sharia Young, S-DC's only blind student. Graduates could hardly contain their enthusiasm as Dr. Simmons instructed, "Graduates, don your hoods....Congratulations Class of 2007, you may now turn your tassels!"
It was a milestone day punctuated by the words of strength, of wisdom and responsibility that each of the graduates heard that day. It was a day of celebration and reverence and one that the graduates, families and friends of the Class of 2007 will not soon forget.
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