91暗网 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鈥檚, bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚, or doctorate degrees.
鈥淢ontell Jordan鈥檚 remarkable journey as a musical artist and now pastor is a testament of perseverance and commitment,鈥澨齭aid Dr. Tracy M. Cook, president.听鈥�These are key attributes our graduates will need along their听journey. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Jordan back to the Alcorn campus as he听provides words of encouragement to听our graduates.鈥�
Montell听Jordan听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,听Montell听Jordan鈥檚 breakout hit 鈥淭his Is How We Do It鈥澨齱as 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,听Montell听was set to attend law school when a professor told him his biggest regret was missing his chance to pursue music.听Montell听realized,听in a flash, that if he was ever going to get听a chance听to pursue music on the level he wanted, he had to move forward with his dream.听He recorded a demo tape that made its way to Def Jam Records Founder Russell Simmons. 鈥淭his Is How We Do It鈥澨齮ook off, and the first of many听number one听records was created.
Montell听began to realize the difference between his gift and calling.听He was gifted as a musician, but he was called to minister.听Speaking, teaching, mentoring, counseling, and writing听are ways听Jordan听fulfills his ministry purpose today.听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听to听heal听in private.听Their ministry, Marriage Masterpeace, is a 501c3.听听Montell听and Kristin also pastor a virtual church called Master Peace Church that launched November 6, 2022, and streams live every听Sunday at 11 a.m.听and听6 p.m. EST.
Montell听has written two books – 鈥淏ecoming Unfamous鈥澨齱hich is听his autobiography, and 鈥淭his Is How We Do It! Making Your Marriage A Masterpeace鈥澨齱hich he co-authored with his wife, Kristin.听Throughout his musical career,听Montell听had already shown an ability to stretch boundaries of genre and style and uses this same ability to influence, impact, and inspire today.听Montell听brings the word of God and personal experience from the music business to provide a practical and applicable understanding of music and worship听to light.听He still performs on world tours and loves听to bring听the love of Christ outside the听four walls of the church to concert venues all over the world.听听Montell听is a Champion Ambassador for Special Olympics North America and a public speaker on听topics related to听diversity, equity, and inclusion.
For more information about the Spring 2024 Commencement ceremonies, please visit alcorn.edu/commencement/.
