Photos: 665 Students Graduate at Fayetteville State University’s Winter Commencement

Fayetteville State University celebrated its 30th Winter Commencement on December 12 as 665 students received their degrees.

Provost Monica Terrell Leach, who is retiring at the close of the semester, gave the commencement address.

“There is nothing more powerful than being the real thing,” Leach told graduates. “When you walk authentically in rooms, you can change things. When your values match your actions, you elevate others.”

Leach is wrapping up a 34-year career in higher education. She joined Fayetteville State in 2021. The university said in a news release that during her tenure as FSU’s chief academic officer, enrollment grew, the university strengthened academic initiatives, and it launched seven new degree programs. Before coming to Fayetteville State, Leach worked at North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In recognition of her service, Leach was awarded the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine. This is North Carolina’s highest award for state service granted by the Office of the Governor.

Leach’s time at Fayetteville State was not without controversy. In April 2024, FSU’s Faculty Senate issued a ‘no confidence’ vote against Leach in a dispute about teaching workloads and other complaints.

The Graduates

The university conferred the following degrees:

• 35 from the College of Education
• 210 from the Broadwell College of Business and Economics
• 279 from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• 135 from the Lloyd College of Health, Science, and Technology
• Six Doctor of Education degrees from the Department of Educational Leadership and School Administration

The university said 242 students earned bachelor’s degrees with summa cum laude honors. This means their grade point average was from 3.8 to 4.0 on a four-point scale.

Chancellor Darrell T. Allison presided over the ceremony. Greetings were delivered by Latoya Harper, president of the Student Government Association, Cumberland County Commissioner Glenn Adams. Adams is chairman of the FSU Board of Trustees.

The ceremony opened with the presentation of colors by the university’s Air Force ROTC Color Guard and the national anthem performed by the Concert Choir under the direction of Dietra Davis, Ph.D., director of choir voice.

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