From: Young, Misty [mailto:YoungM@lincolnu.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2015 1:36 PM Subject: Serious Words from a Comedian and a Dynamic Speaker to Headline Commencement Activities FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT MISTY YOUNG (573) 681-6032 May 6, 2015 SERIOUS WORDS FROM A COMEDIAN AND A DYNAMIC SPEAKER TO HEADLINE COMMENCEMENT ACTIVITIES Jefferson City, MO- The Lincoln University Class of 2015 and their guests will be given some serious words about their future from a man known for being anything but serious. Cedric Kyles, best known as Cedric The Entertainer, will deliver the Commencement Charge during exercises on Saturday, May 16, at Dwight T. Reed Stadium, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Patricia Russell-McCloud, dubbed as one of the nation's best speakers on the lecture circuit, is this year's Commencement Speaker. Kyles was born in Jefferson City and is the son of Lincoln alumna Rosetta (Boyce) ('64) and Kittrell Kyles. He is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in communication. Before his career in comedy, film and television, Kyles was insurance claims adjuster and a substitute teacher. He is known for his film roles in Barbershop, Be Cool, Johnson Family Vacation and as the host of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". He has received numerous awards for his talents, including four NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on "The Steve Harvey Show". Also a philanthropist, his The Cedric The Entertainer Charitable Foundation has awarded over 200 scholarships and other incentives, as well as providing outreach programming, for inner-city youth and their families in St. Louis. Russell-McCloud, formerly an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, has spent the past two decades as a speaker who encourages her audience to tackle any barrier between them and their goals. On average, she speaks to more than 200,000 people annually and is highly regarded for her broad and animated style that leaves her audiences anxious for more. A graduate of Kentucky State University who has also studied at Harvard University, she earned her juris doctorate from Howard University School of Law. Her many honors include receiving more than 300 keys to various cities in the United States. Black Enterprise Magazine named her one of the top five business motivational speakers in the country, while Ebony magazine named her one of the most influential people in the country. ### Attachments (2) Misty Young Director, Office of University Relations 573-681-5580 www.lincolnu.edu<http://www.lincolnu.edu/>