Martin University hosts its 56th commencement ceremony at noon on May 31 in the Father Boniface Hardin Gathertorium at 2186 N. Sherman Drive.
The event recognizes 26 undergraduate and 22 graduate students earning degrees ranging from Teacher’s Prep and Business Administration to Community Psychology and Organizational Leadership.
President of Martin University Sean Huddleston emphasized the significance of the event.
“We are excited to recognize our graduates and their outstanding accomplishments; each with a unique story of working hard and overcoming challenges to reach this special day for them and their families,” Huddleston said. “We are also pleased to honor A’Lelia Bundles and Alan Henderson, who have brought notoriety and distinction to our city, state and country.”
The university, founded in 1977, remains Indiana’s only Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) of higher education.
Additionally, Martin University confers honorary doctorates on two distinguished community leaders: author and historian A’Lelia Bundles and former NBA player and entrepreneur Alan Henderson.
Both honorees have significantly contributed to their respective fields and the broader Indianapolis community.
Bundles, a Harvard College and Columbia University graduate, is renowned for preserving the legacy of her great-great-grandmother, Madam C.J. Walker, the early 20th-century entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Henderson, an Indiana University alumnus and 12-year NBA veteran, transitioned from sports to entrepreneurship, focusing on community development. Through Henderson Development, he revitalizes underutilized properties to promote diversity and inclusion.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news like the Martin University commencement, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
