Members of the Class of 2026 at Coppin State University received a powerful and deeply personal charge from Angela Alsobrooks during the university’s 126th Commencement Ceremony on May 22, as the freshman senator urged graduates to lead boldly, protect their integrity, and refuse to shrink themselves in spaces where they belong.

Speaking before graduates, families, faculty, alumni, and supporters gathered inside the Physical Education Complex Arena, Alsobrooks centered her remarks on the legacy of Fanny Jackson Coppin, the educator and abolitionist whose name the university proudly carries.

“To this class, you are the embodiment of a dream that’s been in motion for over 150 years,” Alsobrooks said as she recounted Coppin’s journey from enslavement to becoming one of the first Black women in America to earn a college degree.

Alsobrooks used Coppin’s story as a framework for encouraging graduates to understand both the significance of their accomplishments and the responsibility that comes with them.

“This moment is just the beginning,” she told graduates, emphasizing that education must be paired with integrity, reliability, and service to others.

Throughout the address, Alsobrooks returned repeatedly to the importance of character, warning graduates not to allow ambition to outpace their values.

“Your value is not just in your achievements, but it’s how you treat people,” she said. “There is no substitute for being trustworthy, for being honest, and for treating people with respect.”

The senator also spoke candidly about the realities many graduates will face as they enter professional spaces where they may still be underestimated or underrepresented. She acknowledged that graduates will encounter misinformation, discrimination, and attempts to diminish their accomplishments, but reminded them that they are fully qualified to occupy positions of leadership and influence.

“Any suggestion that you don’t belong exactly where you’ll be — any suggestion that you haven’t earned it — will be a lie,” Alsobrooks said.

One of the defining moments of the speech came when Alsobrooks shared a personal story about preparing to enter the U.S. Senate. As she selected artwork for her office, she admitted she briefly questioned whether she should tone down parts of herself while entering an environment where she would be in the extreme minority.

It was her daughter, she said, who reminded her why authenticity mattered.

“People did not elect you with the expectation that you wouldn’t go down there and be yourself,” Alsobrooks recalled her daughter saying. “Take up some space.”

Alsobrooks turned that phrase into a direct challenge for the graduating class.

“We need you in every room where the power is assembled,” she said. “When you get there, you are not there to keep other people out. You’re there to hold the door open so others might join you.”

The senator also encouraged graduates to develop strong habits and discipline, explaining that character is built in private long before success becomes visible to others.

“Your intelligence might get you there, but it is your character that will keep you there,” she said.

Alsobrooks spoke openly about discomfort and uncertainty, reflecting on the challenges she faced during her historic Senate campaign. She described how pressure pushed her to deepen her preparation, strengthen her discipline, and remain grounded in faith and positivity.

“Don’t let discomfort distort who you are,” she said. “Use it to reveal who you are.”

Closing the speech with a story about a donkey escaping a well by shaking dirt off its back and stepping upward, Alsobrooks encouraged graduates to turn adversity into motivation rather than discouragement.

“This life will throw dirt on your back, but shake it off,” she said. “People will try to cover up your dreams. Shake them off.”

The university conferred 339 total degrees during the ceremony, including 291 bachelor’s degrees, 45 master’s degrees, and three doctoral degrees. The graduating class included first-generation college students, veterans, working professionals, parents, and scholars from across a range of academic disciplines.

Anthony L. Jenkins praised the graduates and reflected on the significance of the moment for the university community.

“Today is a celebration of perseverance, purpose, and possibility,” Jenkins said. “The Class of 2026 represents the very best of Coppin State University.”

Alsobrooks ended her address with one final reminder that drew applause from the crowd.

“Joy is also an act of resistance,” she said. “Don’t let anyone steal it.”