Huston-Tillotson University president & CEO, global tech executive to address Southern University fall graduates

More than 500 students are preparing to participate in Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies at Southern University and A&M College in the F.G. Clark Activity Center. The graduate ceremony will be held on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. and the undergraduate ceremony will be held on Friday, Dec. 19 at 10 a.m.

The speaker for the graduate ceremony is Melva K. Wallace, Ph.D., the seventh president and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) and one of the top private liberal arts colleges in the country. 

Wallace has more than 20 years of experience as a higher education leader, advocate and strategist, guiding major gains in enrollment, fundraising and institutional performance. She previously held several leadership roles within the Southern University System, including vice chancellor and chief of staff, and has secured more than $20 million in grants and gifts across her career. 

The speaker for the undergraduate ceremony is Felica Coney, a a globally recognized operations and supply chain executive known for leading large-scale transformation, elevating performance, and shaping world-class organizations across multiple industries. Coney’s career includes senior leadership roles at Walmart, Collins Aerospace, and Procter & Gamble, where she drove major advances in automation, digitization, operational excellence, and global supply network innovation. 

Coney, an alumna of Southern University and A&M College, has earned national recognition, serves on multiple corporate and academic boards, and advises Fortune 100 companies on supply chain and technology strategy. 

Both ceremonies are open to the public. Tickets are not required. For more information, go to subr.edu/sucommencement.