Commencement Ceremony

We look forward to celebrating your accomplishments with you!

This webpage includes important information about this year’s Commencement ceremony. Remember to check your email frequently because we will be sending information about the ceremony via email.

Speakers & Honorary Guests

Malaak Compton-Rock will deliver the commencement address. Compton-Rock is the founder of Angelrock Project South Africa Trust, a nonprofit that provides assistance to orphaned and vulnerable children and people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. After beginning her career in the entertainment, public relations and special event fields, Compton-Rock accepted a position at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF (The United Nations Children’s Fund) where she built a career spearheading and overseeing the Special Events and Celebrity Relations Department. 

For the past 13 years, Compton-Rock has been dedicated to producing programming and supporting local grassroots organizations in South Africa, with a focus on orphaned and vulnerable children through Angelrock. This work includes the Journey for Change Scholars for Girls, a holistic and progressive education program for vulnerable girls which ensures a successful path to matriculation and a tertiary education. Additionally, Angelrock coordinates multi-faceted programming for thousands of youth each year in support of Mandela Day. This work centers around helping to end gender-based violence and achieving gender equality by 2030. The organization also supports initiatives around food insecurity, clean and safe water, leadership development and emergency aid. 

Lai Chan, master teacher and assistant director of the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) will be recognized with an honorary associate degree in early childhood education for her transformative work in this field. Chan’s students and fellow educators refer to her as Sifu meaning “honored, wise teacher.” Upon her immigration to the United States from Hong King, Sifu took classes at Urban College in Chinese, setting in motion her nearly 43-year career through which she has educated more than 6,000 children and mentored countless other teachers. Sifu was formally trained as a teacher in China and Hong Kong and built extensive experience working with immigrant families, administrating Chinese School, and co-owning a kindergarten school in Hong Kong.  

William F. Kennedy will receive the prestigious Robert M. Coard Leadership Award for his significant community contributions. A Dorchester native, Kennedy’s philanthropic endeavors have benefited a wide array of community and educational efforts, including Emmanuel College, Board of Bar Overseers, Catholic Charities, Pine Street Inn, and the University of Massachusetts. Kennedy holds a bachelor’s of arts from the College of the Holy Cross and a juris doctorate from Suffolk University Law School.   

“Education, for me and for so many others, has been the pathway to closing the gap in opportunity and success when you come from a nontraditional background,” said Kennedy. “I am grateful to receive such a prestigious award from Urban College of Boston, which is doing the crucial groundwork to improve the lives of Boston students from all backgrounds.”