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�ڰ������� will welcome alumna (B.A. ’07, Board of Governors, now Interdisciplinary Studies), as the speaker for its May 2026 Commencement ceremony.

The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 15, at Credit Union 1 Arena, 525 S. Racine Ave., in Chicago. Tickets are required and made available only to graduates and their guests.. The event will also be livestreamed at .

“Dr. Taylor’s accomplishments reflect the transformative power of a �ڰ������� education,” said �ڰ������� President Katrina E. Bell-Jordan, Ph.D. “We are proud to welcome her to inspire our graduates as they prepare for the next chapter in their personal and professional journeys.”

After earning her bachelor’s degree from �ڰ�������, Dr. Taylor went on to receive her master’s and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University. She is now the Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and a nationally recognized scholar and author.

Dr. Taylor is the recipient of numerous honors, including a MacArthur Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Her work has earned widespread recognition, including national literary awards and distinctions. She is the author of several acclaimed books — including “” (University of North Carolina Press, 2019), which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History — as well as other widely cited works exploring economic and social issues.

Dr. Taylor has contributed to national publications and is widely recognized for her scholarship and public engagement. She is a Distinguished Lecturer with the , a member of the inaugural cohort and a contributing writer for The New Yorker.

Top photo: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Ph.D.