Bowie State to Graduate 670 Students at Commencement Ceremony

Wanda Durant to Deliver Remarks and James J. Maguire to Receive Honorary Degree

 

MEDIA CONTACT: David Thompson, dlthompson@bowiestate.edu, 301-860-4311

(BOWIE, Md.) – When Chris Provido began attending Bowie State in the fall of 2020, he started without first celebrating a high school graduation ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the Bowie State commencement on May 24 is all the more special to him and many of the other 670 students who will graduate on Friday. 

Living through the uncertainties of the pandemic led Provido to a career path where he hopes to be on the forefront of finding answers to fight future infectious diseases. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, he has received a full scholarship to the Stanford University School of Medicine. 

“I’m going to enter Stanford’s doctoral program in immunology where I want to appreciate biological mechanisms through computational analysis,” said Provido. “I want to try integrating data science into bioscience and learn how our immune system responds to infectious diseases.” 

Provido is one of 457 undergraduates and 132 graduate students who will receive their degrees after hearing the commencement address from Wanda Durant, mother of NBA all-star Kevin Durant. She has dedicated herself to nurturing the potential of young people and providing them with the tools to pursue their dreams. 

As president of the Durant Family Charitable Foundation, she spearheads initiatives aimed at enriching the lives of youth from low-income backgrounds through educational, athletic and social programs. She has been the keynote speaker for several nationally and internationally known organizations including J.P. Morgan Chase, The Ford Foundation and other corporations and non-profits.  

James J. Maguire Sr., founder and chairman emeritus of Philadelphia Consolidated Holding Corporation, will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree at the commencement ceremony for his unwavering support of the University and its students. 

He founded the Maguire Foundation with his wife, which focuses on supporting education through the Maguire Scholars Program for early learners through college scholars and has endowed a scholarship at Bowie State, its first HBCU partner.  

Since 2018, 13 Bowie State scholars have received Maguire scholarships for up to four years of matriculation.  

Bowie State’s graduation begins at 9 a.m. on Friday morning at Bulldog Stadium.

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About Bowie State University
Bowie State University is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about Bowie State University, visit bowiestate.edu.