ATLANTA — ATLANTA (AP) — Tyler Perry is set to give the keynote address at Emory University's commencement ceremony.
During the May 9 ceremony on the Emory Quadrangle, the actor and director is also set to receive an honorary doctor of letters degree.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Perry founded Tyler Perry studios in Atlanta in 2006. That same year he founded the Perry Foundation, which aims to help economically disadvantaged people improve their quality of life.
“Tyler Perry is a visionary creative force — writing, directing, producing and performing in plays, films and TV shows that move, entertain and inspire,” Emory President Gregory Fenves said in a news release. “Equally impressive are his endeavors as a philanthropist, humanitarian and social justice advocate. Whether funding scholarships for talented students, covering the grocery bills of elderly Atlanta residents, or supporting global disaster relief, he is renowned for creating opportunities and giving back to his community.”
Honorary degrees will also be conferred upon two additional people during the commencement ceremony. Louise Glenn is a founding trustee of The Wilbur & Hilda Glenn Family Foundation and helps advance its work on cancer research, civil and human rights, and health and wellness. Sally Yates, a partner at King & Spalding law firm, is a former acting U.S. attorney general, former U.S. deputy attorney general and former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
The commencement, a ticketed event for 2022 graduates and their guests, will also be livestreamed.
