Contact: Tara G. Gunningham
(o) 504-816-4024
(c) 504-422-0037
tcunningham@dillard.edu
NEW ORLEANS, LA — Dillard University proudly announces that acclaimed poet and Pulitzer Prize winner Dr. Jericho Brown, will deliver the keynote address at the University’s 2025 commencement exercise. Brown, a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, and a 1998 graduate of Dillard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, is one of the most celebrated voices in contemporary poetry. The event will take place on Saturday, May 10, 2025, on Dillard’s historic Avenue of the Oaks.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jericho Brown back to his alma mater as this year’s Commencement speaker,” said Dr. Monique Guillory, President of Dillard University. “Having one of our very own Dillard alums address the graduating class is a special honor. Dr. Brown is a living testament to the caliber of student we produce at Fair Dillard, and we are delighted to have him return to impart his wisdom and insight to the Class of 2025.”
Brown is the author of three celebrated poetry collections, including The Tradition (2019), which won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and was a finalist for the National Book Award. His previous works include The New Testament (2014), which won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, and Please (2008), which earned the American Book Award. He recently edited How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill (2023) and The Selected Shepherd (2024), a retrospective on the work of the late poet Reginald Shepherd.
Known for his lyrical mastery and poignant reflections on race, sexuality, and the human experience, Brown’s poetry has been praised for its ability to navigate both personal and societal reckonings. The New York Times described The Tradition as a collection that “captures the body at risk” and embodies resilience in the face of injustice. His distinguished accolades include the MacArthur “Genius” Award, a Whiting Writers Award, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute. Brown currently serves as the Charles Howard Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing and Interim Director of Creative Writing at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Before pursuing his career in academia, he worked as a speechwriter for the Mayor of New Orleans. Dillard University’s Class of 2025 will undoubtedly be inspired by Brown’s profound insights and reflections as they celebrate this significant milestone. For more information about the Commencement ceremony, please visit www.dillard.edu.
About Dillard University
Dillard University, located in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a private, historically Black liberal arts institution that fosters leaders who excel, advocate, and positively impact the world. Since its founding in 1869, Dillard has remained committed to academic excellence, community engagement, and the celebration of cultural heritage.
