Chicago State University Sets Stage for Historic 373rd Commencement with Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch and Four Trailblazing Honorary Degree Recipients

BET President Louis Carr, United Airlines President Brett Hart, Journalist Karen Hunter and NBA Legend Derrick Rose
to Join Class of 2026 Celebration May 14 at Jones Convocation Center

CHICAGO — Chicago State University (CSU) is proud to announce that Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, will serve as the featured commencement speaker at the university’s 373rd Commencement Ceremony. The celebration will take place at 10:45 a.m. on May 14, 2026, at the Jones Convocation Center on CSU’s campus.

In keeping with the ceremony’s theme, “A Celebration of Power, Purpose, and Possibility,” CSU will also bestow Honorary Degrees of Doctor of Humane Letters upon four remarkable leaders whose careers embody the values of leadership, service, and excellence CSU champions: Louis Carr, President of Black Entertainment Television; Brett Hart, President of United Airlines; Karen Hunter, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and host of The Karen Hunter Show on SiriusXM; and Derrick Rose, Chicago native, NBA champion, and the youngest MVP in league history.

“Chicago State University’s 373rd Commencement is a testament to what happens when purpose meets possibility, and this year, our graduating class will walk across that stage in the company of leaders who have lived that truth at the highest level,” said Chicago State University President Zaldwaynaka “Z” Scott, J.D. “Our honorary degree recipients are not just achievers. They are proof that brilliance and determination can carry you from this city, from this community, from circumstances that others might write off, to the absolute pinnacle of your field. Their stories are not just impressive résumés. They are road maps. And I can’t think of a more fitting celebration for a class that has already achieved something truly powerful. Our Class of 2026 has earned every moment of this celebration, and now they get to begin their next chapter standing in the legacy of leaders who did the same. That is the power and the promise of Chicago State University.”

Commencement Speaker: Emanuel “Chris” Welch

Emanuel “Chris” Welch has served as State Representative from the 7th District of Illinois since 2013. In January 2021, he made history as the first Black Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, a role in which he has championed legislation addressing education, economic equity, immigration, and corporate diversity. Among his signature achievements are the four-year MAP Grant Award, the AIM High Scholarship, and landmark legislation requiring Illinois corporations to publicly disclose the racial and gender composition of their boards of directors.
A product of Proviso West High School, Northwestern University, and The John Marshall Law School, Speaker Welch also served 12 years on the Proviso Township High School Board of Education, ten as board chair, during which he led the founding of the nationally recognized Proviso Math and Science Academy and balanced the district’s budget for the first time in decades. He is a partner at the law firm Ancel Glink and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and one of Chicago’s Leading Lawyers.

Honorary Degree Recipients: Doctor of Humane Letters

Louis Carr, President, Black Entertainment Television

Louis Carr is a Chicago native and former Chicago State University Board of Trustees member whose 39-year career at Black Entertainment Television (BET) stands as one of the most consequential tenures in multicultural media. A former track student-athlete, Carr went on to become one of the most influential executives in the industry. Named President of BET in December 2025, Carr previously served as President of Media Sales, where he generated more than $10 billion in advertising revenue and built the network into the premier destination for Black audiences worldwide. His partnerships with global brands including Procter & Gamble, Walmart, Unilever, McDonald’s, Meta, and Toyota have redefined how corporations engage with Black and brown communities.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Carr founded the Louis Carr Internship Foundation more than 23 years ago, which has placed more than 300 paid interns of color across the media industry. He is a 2023 inductee into the Advertising Hall of Fame and the founder of WayMaker, a brand dedicated to providing mentorship and inspiration to the next generation of leaders. Carr earned a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Drake University, where he attended on a full athletic scholarship.

Brett Hart, President, United Airlines

Brett J. Hart is an attorney and President of Chicago-based United Airlines, one of the world’s largest airlines, and the first African American to hold that position. In this role, he oversees United’s global operations, government affairs, legal and regulatory matters, community engagement, and environmental sustainability initiatives. Hart joined United in 2010 and has served in roles of increasing responsibility, including acting CEO in 2015–2016.
A dedicated civic leader and philanthropist, he serves on the boards of the Rockefeller Foundation, the Obama Foundation Inclusion Council, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, The Chicago Community Trust, the University of Chicago, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, World Business Chicago, and the Innocence Project, among others. He also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of The Economic Club of Chicago. Hart holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School.

Karen Hunter, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist and Host, The Karen Hunter Show

Karen Hunter is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, bestselling author, publisher, professor, and the host of The Karen Hunter Show on SiriusXM Urban View. A 16-year veteran of the New York Daily News, Hunter made history as the paper’s first African American female news columnist and was a member of the editorial teams that earned the Pulitzer Prize and the Polk Award in 1999 for their campaign to save the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
As CEO of Karen Hunter Publishing, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Hunter has co-authored more than eight New York Times bestsellers and published more than 35 books. As a program consultant for SiriusXM, she has helped launch and develop numerous shows that amplify diverse voices. Named one of the 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America by Talkers Magazine every year since 2015, Hunter served as a full-time professor and Distinguished Lecturer in the Department of Film and Media Studies at Hunter College in New York City for 21 years. Hunter earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Drew University.

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls Alumnus

Derrick Rose is a Chicago native, former NBA player, and an enduring symbol of South Side pride. Born and raised in the Englewood neighborhood, where he attended Simeon Career Academy, Rose was selected No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft. In 2009, he was named NBA Rookie of the Year. In 2011, at just 22 years old, he became the youngest Most Valuable Player in NBA history, a record that still stands, joining Michael Jordan as the only Bulls players to earn that honor. A three-time NBA All-Star, Rose played 16 professional seasons before announcing his retirement in 2024.

On Jan. 24, 2026, the Chicago Bulls retired Rose’s No. 1 jersey at the United Center, cementing his legacy as one of the most beloved figures in the history of Chicago sports. Off the court, Rose has been equally committed to his community. Through The Rose Scholars program, he created college opportunities for civically minded students, and his $1 million gift to After School Matters expanded programming for teens across Chicago. He has also made significant contributions to the UNCF Chicago and the Chicago Urban League, organizations deeply invested in education and opportunity for young people. A devoted husband and father, Rose continues to build his legacy as a businessman, author, and philanthropist, proving that the measure of his character has always extended far beyond the game.

About the 373rd Commencement

Chicago State University’s 373rd Commencement Ceremony will be held at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the Jones Convocation Center on CSU’s campus. The ceremony celebrates the graduating class under the theme: “A Celebration of Power, Purpose, and Possibility.”

About Chicago State University

Chicago State University, founded in 1867, is the oldest public university in the Chicago Metropolitan area. The University’s four colleges offer over 60 undergraduate and graduate degree-granting and non-degree programs. CSU is a Carnegie-classified Research University and is the only U.S. Department of Education-designated four-year Predominantly Black Institution in Illinois. The University’s continued value to students and the State of Illinois is demonstrated by the ranking by a Harvard economist that places CSU in the top 4 percent of public and private universities nationwide in supporting its graduates’ economic mobility. The University serves as a prominent community anchor and civic space on the greater South Side of Chicago by leading a multitude of athletic, educational, cultural, and recreational activities. For more information, visit csu.edu.