By Dr. Deborah Bailey
Contributing Editor
Bowie State University graduates and their families enjoyed the time-honored tradition of seeing each graduate walk on stage, receive their diplomas and shake hands with the president on May 23. It was a “full circle” day for the U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks.
Born in Suitland, Md. and raised in Camp Springs, Alsobrooks returned to her home base to serve as speaker of Bowie State University’s Spring 2025 commencement.
Alsobrooks delivered a tough message about the struggle graduates will face as they leave campus and take on real world battles. Using Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid as her illustration, she warned graduates that the demanding work awaiting them is real.
“The truth is, no matter how talented you are, no one will hand you the success that you deserve. You’re going to have to work for it,” Alsobrooks said. “You’re going to face, at times, the absolute ignorance of those who will question your qualifications and competencies– but be clear–you belong in every room you step in.”
“Believe me when I say that your very presence will change the room,” said Alsobrooks, who is the third Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate and the first Black senator from Maryland.
The senator didn’t hide truth. Instead, she warned graduates of the discomfort they must face head on.
“I’ve got news for you,” she told those in attendance. “Discomfort is a reality in this life. You can run from it. You can try to avoid it. But boldness doesn’t hide from a little hard work, and it doesn’t hide from challenges.”
“There will be moments that challenge who you are and what you believe in. In my experience, I have learned [that] in order to be great, you have to stand some discomfort. I’ve become familiar with discomfort,” Alsobrooks said.
The historic election that catapulted Alsobrooks to the U.S. Senate came at a difficult time for the State of Maryland. In the months since she has been sworn in, orders from the Trump Administration have resulted in the loss or suspension of 28,000 federal jobs in Maryland according to the Maryland Bureau of Revenue Estimates (BRE). This doesn’t include federal contractors or other workers who rely on the federal government for their jobs.
Alsobrooks sought to reassure graduates that success will come after the struggle. It was a difficult but necessary reality to hear, according to many graduates, including Brittany Guillory. The graduate earned her master’s in public administration alongside peers who, like her, already work in public service roles.
“Hearing Senator Alsobrooks speak so candidly about challenges we’ll face in public service was incredibly grounding,” said Guillory. “As a new MPA graduate, her words validate the sacrifices I’ve already made and prepared me for what’s ahead.”
“The work we’re stepping into isn’t always convenient, easy or glamorous, but it’s necessary,” said Guillory, who will serve as a post-graduate intern with the Congressional Black Caucus in June.
During the commencement announcements, University President Aminta Breaux proudly reported that Bowie has risen to #11 in the US News and World Report HBCU Rankings. Bowie has also received the Carnegie Foundation’s new designation as a Research College and University, recognizing the institution’s increasing research funding from federal, state, local, and private grants and contracts.
Still, these advances also raise larger questions about where Bowie and other historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) stand with the 47th president of the United States and his administration. Since January, Trump’s policies have cut or paused eleven billion dollars in research funding going to American colleges and universities. No report on federally funded research at Bowie State University since January 2025 was available for review.
However, Morgan State University recently reported that a major contract from the U.S. Navy had been abruptly cancelled due to Trump’s executive order banning all DEI activities funded by federal agencies. The contract supported a campus visit for K-12 students to visit Morgan’s School of Engineering.
Additionally, Trump’s new initiative for HBCUs does not give clear guidance, according to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
The initiative seems to support HBCUs, but names the Department of Education as the support agency to provide funding and administrative support for the White House HBCU Initiative activities. Ironically, Trump promised to signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education in March 2025.
Brenda Guillory, Brittany’s mom, is quiet and content as she waits for Brittany’s name to be called. “I feel so honored that she’s graduating,” said Guillory, a U.S. Army veteran, who the family calls their “rock.” “The family is overjoyed Brittany will be working with the Congressional Black Caucus,” said Guillory. “Public service is our legacy. It’s in our blood.”