Dear Tulane Community:
I am thrilled to announce that our 2026 Commencement Speaker will be Sterling K. Brown, the acclaimed Emmy Award-winning actor and producer who has appeared on TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. He will deliver the keynote address at the Unified ceremony, to be held at Caesars Superdome on Saturday, May 16 at 5 p.m.
Across television, film and theater, Sterling’s unforgettable performances have illuminated the richness of the American experience, garnering dozens of accolades along the way. For his iconic role as Randall Pearson in the critically lauded This is Us, Sterling not only earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, but also made history as the first African American actor to win the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for lead actor in a drama. His awards shelf also includes Critics’ Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and numerous film festival and critics’ association honors. Sterling currently stars in and executive produces the Hulu drama Paradise, which has earned him a number of additional award nominations as an actor and producer.
Displaying remarkable range and depth, Sterling’s nine Emmy nominations and three wins span all three performance and genre categories in addition to narration, making him one of only a few actors to accomplish this feat. From This is Us to The People v. O.J. Simpson to Black Panther to American Fiction, his emotionally precise and authentic performances are anchored in rigorous academic training: he holds a bachelor’s degree in theater from Stanford and a Master of Fine Arts from NYU’s Tisch School. As a first-year college student, he planned to major in economics, but a lead role in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and a professor who recognized his talent convinced him to pursue his true passion.
Sterling’s dedication to his craft is only matched by his exceptional commitment to giving back. He has championed causes from cancer research to food insecurity to domestic violence prevention. The Human Rights Campaign recognized him with the 2024 HRC National Equality Award for his efforts on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community, and he has supported veterans and military families through ASAP, the Armed Services Arts Partnership. Last month, in partnership with the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition, he launched what may be his most impactful effort yet: the Aralean Brown Older Youth Readiness Fund. Named in honor of his mother, a foster and adoptive parent, the fund supports young adults as they age out of the foster care system, connecting them with education, jobs and housing during this critical transition.
I am delighted that Sterling will join us to inspire and challenge our graduates at this year’s Unified Commencement. His journey reflects the power each graduate possesses if, as they scale professional heights, they live by Tulane’s motto of non sibi sed suis, “not for oneself but for one’s own.” Sterling articulated this while dedicating an arts and crafts club for at-risk kids in Harlem, NY: "As we ascend, as we climb together, make sure that you pull other people up with you.” His message will surely resonate with the Class of 2026 as they prepare to take flight.
