Jackson State University did not hesitate when the White House made a priceless offer it simply could not refuse: an opportunity for first lady Michelle Obama to speak at its spring 2016 undergraduate commencement at 3 p.m. Saturday in the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
President Carolyn W. Meyers leaped at the opportunity to have Obama present a “rousing, wonderful message to this class,” said Dr. Elayne H. Anthony, serving in an ad hoc role as special media adviser for the upcoming ceremony.
About 55,000 people are expected to assemble in the stadium, the home field of the Jackson State University Tigers football team.
Anthony, also dean of the School of Journalism and Media Studies, said JSU is one of the last HBCUs that Obama would visit to deliver a graduation address before leaving 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after the final year of President Barack Obama’s administration.
“It’s so special for JSU because it’s the first time a sitting first lady has been the commencement speaker for our university. We are absolutely thrilled to have her,” Anthony said. “We are so very pleased to receive this national recognition, and it’s going to be wonderful for the 2016 graduates.”
Despite the many details involved in hosting the first lady, JSU is working diligently with the White House staff – several of whom arrived early to work out logistics such as stadium preparations, seating charts, permissions and restrictions.
Leading up to Michelle Obama’s arrival, JSU has been laboring hard to disseminate news about the historic visit to other students locally and statewide, as well to everyone else throughout the country.
The combined PR machines of the White House and JSU have resulted in numerous national media outlets expressing interest in covering the event, including CNN, C-SPAN, “NBC Nightly News,” “The New York Times” and “The Washington Post.”
Although Anthony is uncertain about the content of Michelle Obama’s speech, she said she expects the first lady’s message to have a resounding impact on graduates, faculty, staff and alumni. “We do know for sure that she’s done her homework and research on Jackson State.”
For Anthony, there’s a feeling of euphoria surrounding Michelle Obama’s visit, especially since the planning process has been a “labor of love.” Despite the many meetings and phone calls, she said the experience has not been taxing. “In fact, it’s been wonderful working with White House staffers, and I hope they feel the same way about us. They’ve all been great.”
Anthony said another advantage to Michelle Obama’s visit is the potential for forging lasting friendships between Washington and Jackson that could benefit students greatly, making the future even brighter for JSU and the state.
“I believe it’s going to open doors for us. We’ve made national contacts that we might not have otherwise developed, and that’s what we’re trying to foster. With these new friendships, we hope individuals from Washington will want to come back to share their expertise with Jackson State University,” Anthony said.