Grambling State University will commemorate 124 years of legacy, leadership, and learning with its annual Founder’s Celebration on Thursday, October 30, at 10 a.m. in the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Melva K. Wallace, seventh president and chief executive officer of Huston–Tillotson University in Austin, Texas.
The morning will begin with the Founder’s Bust Ceremony at 8 a.m. outside Lee Hall, honoring the visionary whose faith and fortitude gave rise to one of the nation’s most storied HBCUs.
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, and proud Grambling State alumna, Dr. Wallace leads Huston–Tillotson with a bold and innovative approach that has redefined what’s possible for HBCUs in the 21st century. Since her appointment in 2022, she has strengthened academic programs, expanded online learning opportunities, and secured record philanthropic support, including a historic gift from the Moody Foundation—the largest single donation ever awarded to a historically Black college or university. Under her leadership, Huston–Tillotson has been ranked among the top three HBCUs in the nation by Niche.com and recognized as Texas’s highest-ranked private HBCU.
Dr. Wallace’s dynamic career includes leadership roles within the Southern University System and Centenary College of Louisiana, as well as national recognition for her work in innovation and impact. She was recently named the 2025 Austin Executive Leader of the Year and Most Innovative President of the Year by the National College Resources Foundation.
Founded on November 1, 1901, as the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School, Grambling State University began as a vision of the North Louisiana Colored Agriculture Relief Association—a group of African-American farmers determined to create educational opportunity in their region. With support from Tuskegee Institute founder Booker T. Washington, educator Charles P. Adams was sent to help organize the school, later becoming its first president. What began with three teachers and 125 students has grown into a global brand that has produced more than 40,000 graduates worldwide. Today, Grambling State stands as a globally recognized institution of higher learning—home to more than 5,000 students representing 42 states and 32 countries.
Rooted in its founding principles of access, equity, and excellence, the university continues to build on a legacy of transformation and impact. This year’s celebration serves as both tribute and charge—a reminder that the same determination that built Grambling State continues to propel it forward.
