NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — There are plenty of college graduates who will admit, they don't remember who spoke at their graduation. But that likely won't be a problem this weekend at Tennessee State University.
"This is one of the most exciting times to be on TSU’s campus," said Nashville historian David Ewing. "TSU students will remember their graduation speaker for the rest of their lives."
The number two in command, Vice President Kamala Harris, will make her first trip to the HBCU campus, and it will also mark a first for Nashville.
"Many Presidents and Vice Presidents have visited Nashville before but I’m really not aware of any being a commencement speaker before," said Ewing.
So how did TSU land such a big headliner?
"There’s probably a hundred schools in the United States that would love to have the Vice President speak," said Ewing.
TSU's president, Glenda Glover, is also president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
"The largest African American sorority in the country, and Kamala Harris is one of her sorority sisters," said Ewing.
Harris and Glover have participated in many of the same events and have been photographed together several times.
But even the Vice President's fellow sisters won't be able to just walk into the graduation ceremony. Tickets to the event are required and have already sold out.
If you are attending, the U.S. Secret Service is asking everyone to arrive two hours early and to be prepared for airport-level security. If you don't have a ticket but would still like to come to campus, the Gentry Center will be opened up as overflow space. A ticket is not required there.
NewsChannel 5 will also stream the Vice President's remarks on our website.
Ewing believes what the Vice President has to say should really resonate with TSU students.
"She will bring a message from someone who has graduated from a historically black college, and give a message of hope and opportunity, and all the things she gained from her education," he said.
