LaChanze To Address Pace University's 2024 Commencement

Tony Award-winning actor LaChanze will address Pace University's Commencement 2024 and will receive an honorary doctorate.

The university's commencement will be held on May 20, 2024, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. This year's commencement marks the third consecutive year that Pace will hold a combined ceremony for graduates of its campuses in New York City and Pleasantville, N.Y., and its Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains, N.Y. The university will honor the entire Class of 2024 at its main ceremony, highlighted by LaChanze's remarks, and graduating students will cross the stage at their individual school and college ceremonies.

"This remarkable group of honorees speaks to the many accomplishments and wide-ranging interests of the Class of 2024 and the Pace University community," said Marvin Krislov, president of Pace University. "I'm pleased that we will once again be celebrating all of our graduates together in one in-person celebration, and I'm even happier that we'll have such an impressive group of role models to help us mark this momentous occasion."

LaChanze will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa, at the 12:15 p.m. main ceremony, and she will address the graduates and their guests. LaChanze is a Tony Award-winning actor. A powerhouse in Broadway for 38 seasons, she brings complex and triumphant women to life on stage. Last season, she made her mark as a producer with two acclaimed shows, "Kimberly Akimbo" and the 20th anniversary revival of Suzan-Lori Parks' acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Topdog/Underdog," earning a total of 11 Tony nominations and six wins. This season, she's back with more hits, including "Here Lies Love" and "Jaja's African Hair Braiding," with "The Outsiders" slated for Spring 2024. Fall 2024 will mark her directorial debut in in New York City with "Wine in the Wilderness." LaChanze's accolades include a Tony win for "The Color Purple," originating the role of Ti Moune in "Once on This Island," and nominations for her roles in "Trouble In Mind" and "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical." On screen, she's shined in productions like "The Help" and "Hercules," while leading Black Theatre United in advocacy efforts.