May 19, 2025
Morris Brown leaders highlighted that the funds from Jakes couldn’t have come at a better time as HBCUs are labeled as being financially under attack.
Morris Brown College received a huge surprise from Pastor T.D. Jakes, during its 2025 commencement ceremony after he announced a donation of $100,000, Atlanta News First reported.
The Potter’s House leader made the pledge towards the end of his moving speech geared toward resilience, legacy, and leadership, securing payment for more than 150 workforce certification exams that will help students with credentials in high-demand fields. “The surprise announcement underscores a key theme from his commencement address: That legacy is not what we inherit but what we invest forward,” a Potter’s House representative said in a statement.
The HBCU’s commencement ceremony, held on May 17, took place at Atlanta’s Saint Philip A.M.E. Church, where 58 students crossed the stage from college students to students of the real world. According to 11 Alive, the donation was made through the T.D. Jakes Foundation as Jakes drew a correlation between the graduation and Morris Brown’s legendary comeback. “This gift is not about what we’ve inherited, but what we invest forward,” Jakes said, who walked away with an honorary degree.
Morris Brown, home of the Wolverines, has overcome mass adversities, bouncing back from losing accreditation to opening their doors to students of schools like Limestone University, which announced its closure in May 2025. The college made national headlines in 2022 for becoming the first HBCU to regain accreditation after 20 years.
As companies like Chick-fil-A have made huge donations in the past, Morris Brown leaders highlighted that the funds from Jakes couldn’t have come at a better time, as HBCUs are labeled as being financially under attack. But Jakes encouraged graduates to continue the fight, not just for their alma mater, but for the climate of the world. “You’ve come too far not to get up. Fight until you build your business or company, find a cure for cancer, franchise yourself, or get on your feet,” Jakes said.
Atlanta-based HBCUs were busy in mid-May, with a number of Black celebrities giving commencement speeches, touching on different topics. Civil rights advocate and former presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West spoke to Morehouse College grads, focusing on “spiritual wickedness in high places” while Academy Award-nominated Actress Taraji P. Henson touched on Spelman College graduates leaning on their circles “for sisterhood” while surviving in a political and social world “where Black women have been exhausted of their ongoing efforts.”
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