Atlanta, April 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (ATLANTA, April 20, 2026) – Spelman College is proud to announce that political and media powerhouse and MS NOW anchor Symone Sanders Townsend will deliver the keynote address during the 139th Commencement Ceremony at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, May 17, at the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC). Sanders Townsend, who currently serves as the co-anchor of MS NOW’s “The Weeknight” and became the youngest presidential press secretary in history while on Senator Bernie Sander’s 2016 presidential campaign, will also receive an honorary doctorate degree during the ceremony.
The College will also award a National Community Service Award to Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, former leader of Feeding America, during the Commencement ceremony. Dr. Gina M. Stewart, senior pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church, will address graduates during the Baccalaureate Ceremony at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 16, also at the GICC.
Sanders Townsend has spent her career breaking barriers, shaping national conversations and using her voice to advocate for change. From campaign war rooms to the White House to the anchor desk, she has made her mark as a strategist, communicator and trusted political voice. In addition to becoming the youngest press secretary at age 25, her sharp political instincts and commanding presence earned her a spot on Rolling Stone’s list of 16 Young Americans shaping the 2016 election. She has also held history-making positions as deputy assistant to President Joe Biden and senior advisor and chief spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris. She currently co-hosts the primetime news show “The Weeknight” on MS NOW (formerly known as MSNBC) and is a key voice on the network’s coverage of major political events, such as election nights.
“We are truly thrilled to welcome Symone Sanders Townsend to bring words of inspiration to our graduating Class of 2026,” said Spelman College Interim President and Chair Emerita Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, C’84. “The breadth of Symone’s pursuits and depths of her influence make her the ideal person to inspire and move our graduates. As a strategist, communicator and entrepreneur, she embodies the 21st century Renaissance woman that the Spelman woman seeks to emulate. We are equally proud to host a distinguished lineup of dynamic Black women throughout our weekend ceremonies, including visionary humanitarian Claire Babineaux-Fontenot and nationally respected faith leader the Rev. Dr. Gina M. Stewart. This extraordinary group of women represents the very standard of leadership and impact we hope our graduates will carry into the world.”
The Class of 2026 marks a new milestone for Spelman College, with seven students sharing the coveted title of valedictorian.
Class of 2026 By the Numbers
The Class of 2026 includes 569 degree candidates - 370 Bachelor of Arts and 199 Bachelor of Science degrees. Spelman’s graduation rate continues to remain among the highest in the country at 78%.
Top Ten Scholars and Majors
Aiyana Ringo, co-valedictorian, Sociology
Alyssa Richardson, co-valedictorian, Biochemistry
Nia-Sarai Perry, co-valedictorian, Philosophy
Cori'Anna White, co-valedictorian, Political Science
Sophia Davis, co-valedictorian, Sociology and Anthropology
Mariama Diallo, co-valedictorian, Documentary Film
Alexis Sims, co-valedictorian, Political Science and Philosophy
Nicole Anyanwu, salutatorian, Biology
Gabrielle Harris, Political Science and Comparative Women's Studies
Guinn Herron, English
National Community Service Award
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot is a leader and advocate dedicated to combatting hunger and strengthening communities. She served as the chief executive officer of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, for nearly a decade. In 2020, Time magazine named her among the 100 most influential people in the world.
Prior to joining Feeding America, she was entrusted to lead effective teams for three decades, including 13 years on Walmart's leadership team, most recently as executive vice president and global treasurer. In that role, she had global responsibility for tax, treasury operations, capital markets, investor relations, global risk management, casualty, and self-insurance, leading teams across 28 countries and over 1,000 associates worldwide.
Baccalaureate Ceremony
The Baccalaureate Ceremony provides the opportunity for the graduating class, along with their families and communities, to joyfully reflect on their spiritual growth and personal transformation as they prepare for commencement the following day. The Rev. Dr. Gina M. Stewart is a nationally respected preacher, teacher and visionary leader, widely known for her faith-rooted leadership, prophetic witness and commitment to community empowerment. She currently serves as senior pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn.
Dr. Stewart is the immediate past president of the Lott Carey Foreign Missions Society, where
under her leadership the organization significantly increased its financial footprint, expanded
global mission partnerships, and strengthened its commitment to justice, education and women’s
empowerment. She currently serves as chairwoman of the Religious Affairs Committee of the
NAACP, as a trustee of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference and a co-convener for the
Women In Ministry Conference. She was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers and is a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, presented by President Joe Biden, in recognition of her exemplary service and leadership.
For more information and to learn more about our speakers and Commencement activities, go to the 2026 Commencement website.
Media Credentials
Members of the media interested in covering Spelman’s 2026 Commencement activities should complete a Media Credentials Request form by Friday, May 8. You can complete the form here: Request Media Credentials | Spelman College
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About Spelman College
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College’s picturesque campus is home to 2,700 students. Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The College’s status is confirmed by the U.S. News & World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 37 among all liberal arts colleges, No. 33 for undergraduate teaching, No. 2 for social mobility among liberal arts colleges, and No. 1 for the 19th year among historically Black colleges and universities. Recent initiatives include a designation by the Department of Defense as a Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, a Gender and Sexuality Studies Institute, the first endowed queer studies chair at an HBCU and a program to increase the number of Black women Ph.D.s in economics. New majors and minors have been added, including documentary filmmaking and photography, data science, refugee studies and gaming. Collaborations have been also established with MIT’s Media Lab, the Broad Institute and the Army Research Lab for artificial intelligence and machine learning, among others.
Outstanding alumnae include Children’s Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman, former Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer, political leader Stacey Abrams, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa D. Cook, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman’s first alumna president Audrey Forbes Manley, Harvard University professor and former Dean Evelynn Hammonds, actress and producer Latanya Richardson Jackson, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and authors Pearl Cleage and Tayari Jones.
To learn more, please visit spelman.edu and @spelmancollege on social media.
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Denise Ward Spelman College 7708624028 deniseward@spelman.edu
