Judge Carlton W. Reeves of Mississippi will deliver the commencement address to Hunter College graduates at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 4.
A trailblazing figure in the legal profession, renowned for his dedication to justice and equity, Judge Reeves was appointed a federal district court judge in 2010 by President Obama. Since then, Judge Reeves has issued landmark rulings in cases involving same-sex marriage, abortion, and civil rights. Judge Reeves also is the first African American to serve as chair of the United States Sentencing Commission, having been appointed in 2022.
“We are thrilled that Judge Reeves will address our graduates as they embark on this new chapter of their lives,” Hunter College President Ann Kirschner said. “He is a major figure in American jurisprudence whose rulings affect the most central issues in our lives.”
About 3,000 students will receive their undergraduate, graduate, or post-doctoral degrees at the ceremony.
