Alcorn State University announces Grammy Award-winning artist Montell Jordan as its Spring 2024 Commencement speaker. Two ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 11, in the Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex. The first ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. and honor graduates from the Golden Class of 1974, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Graduate Studies, and the School of Nursing. The second ceremony will start at 1 p.m. and include graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, and School of Education and Psychology.

Nearly 400 graduates will receive associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degrees.

“Montell Jordan’s remarkable journey as a musical artist and now pastor is a testament of perseverance and commitment,” said Dr. Tracy M. Cook, president. “These are key attributes our graduates will need along their journey. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Jordan back to the Alcorn campus as he provides words of encouragement to our graduates.”

Montell Jordan is an author, pastor, Grammy Award-winning artist, and recipient of the 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 1995, along with artists such as Coolio, TLC, and Madonna, Montell Jordan’s breakout hit “This Is How We Do It” was a chart-topping success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten Singles for seven weeks and the R&B charts for eight. Over his nearly twenty-year music career, he produced seven studio albums and 14 singles, ultimately selling over 10 million records worldwide.

As a student at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Montell was set to attend law school when a professor told him his biggest regret was missing his chance to pursue music. Montell realized, in a flash, that if he was ever going to get a chance to pursue music on the level he wanted, he had to move forward with his dream. He recorded a demo tape that made its way to Def Jam Records Founder Russell Simmons. “This Is How We Do It” took off, and the first of many number one records was created.

Montell began to realize the difference between his gift and calling. He was gifted as a musician, but he was called to minister. Speaking, teaching, mentoring, counseling, and writing are ways Jordan fulfills his ministry purpose today. After serving as an executive pastor for Victory Church in Norcross, Ga., for nearly a decade, he now has a marriage ministry with his wife, Kristin, where they assist public marriages to heal in private. Their ministry, Marriage Masterpeace, is a 501c3.  Montell and Kristin also pastor a virtual church called Master Peace Church that launched November 6, 2022, and streams live every Sunday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST.

Montell has written two books – “Becoming Unfamous” which is his autobiography, and “This Is How We Do It! Making Your Marriage A Masterpeace” which he co-authored with his wife, Kristin. Throughout his musical career, Montell had already shown an ability to stretch boundaries of genre and style and uses this same ability to influence, impact, and inspire today. Montell brings the word of God and personal experience from the music business to provide a practical and applicable understanding of music and worship to light. He still performs on world tours and loves to bring the love of Christ outside the four walls of the church to concert venues all over the world.  Montell is a Champion Ambassador for Special Olympics North America and a public speaker on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

For more information about the Spring 2024 Commencement ceremonies, please visit alcorn.edu/commencement/.