Maryland Gov. Wes Moore will be the University of Maryland’s 2024 commencement speaker, according to a Monday news release.
Moore has served as Maryland’s governor since 2023, after he was elected the third Black governor in United States history and the first to represent Maryland.
“Governor Wes Moore’s remarkable story is nothing short of inspirational and aspirational,” university president Darryll Pines said in the news release. “I am honored that our graduates will have the opportunity to learn from his journey.”
Moore, a U.S. Army veteran, received his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in 2001. The Takoma Park native later earned his master’s degree from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar — one of the world’s most prestigious scholarships.
Moore has authored several books, including New York Times bestseller “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates.” He also served as the CEO of the poverty-fighting nonprofit Robin Hood Foundation before announcing his candidacy for Maryland’s governor in 2021.
“I look forward to sharing reflections on life and service with this year’s graduates,” Moore said in the news release. “In a moment of profound consequence for our state, nation, and world, these graduates won’t just be our inspirations — they will be our guides.”
Monday’s announcement comes about three weeks before the 2024 commencement ceremony, which will be held at SECU Stadium on May 20 at 6 p.m.
The ceremony will celebrate summer 2023, winter 2023 and spring 2024 graduates, according to the news release.
