On Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, Thomas Edison State University (TESU) proudly hosted its 53rd Annual Commencement Ceremony, celebrating the academic achievements of this year’s graduates. The event, held at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, brought together the families and friends of graduates and University staff to honor the perseverance of adult learners.
In her Commencement address, TESU President Merodie A. Hancock, Ph.D., highlighted the significance of the ceremony and its link to the graduates’ individual stories, stating, “Personal legacies don’t happen by accident. They are sparked by a passion. Your skills and knowledge matter, but passion is that fire that drives you to go beyond and stay the course. Keep your eye on the difference you want to make with your life; live your life with all the passion you have and boldly write your legacy in the way only you can.”
The class of 2025 included 661 graduates from New Jersey and 1,091 from across the U.S. and 24 other countries. The average age of this year’s graduates is 37 years old. At 79, Richard Barry Johnson of Fredericksburg, Va., is the oldest member of his graduating class.
“Thomas Edison State University enabled me to complete my bachelor’s degree — 61 years after I first began at Wilberforce University,” noted Johnson. “My academic struggles led to my draft in 1968, and I went on to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War before attending Michigan State University and beginning law school. Family responsibilities shifted my path toward a career with the State of New Hampshire as an Equal Opportunity specialist and investigator. Still, I never gave up on my dream of finishing my degree. TESU’s online program made that dream possible, and I am deeply grateful to the professors and staff who guided me across the finish line.”
During the ceremony, the University bestowed honorary degrees upon three individuals. John E. Harmon Sr. is the founder, president, and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce. Under Harmon’s 18-year leadership, the chamber has advocated for the state’s 1.1 million African American residents and over 70,000 black-owned businesses. Anthony “Skip” Cimino, who has more than 30 years of distinguished service in government, industry and civic leadership in New Jersey, has held leadership positions in prominent New Jersey institutions, including his current role as president and CEO of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton. Rev. J. Stanley Justice has dedicated his life to spiritual and civic service as the pastor of the Greater Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church in Trenton, N.J., and as president of the New Jersey Human Development Corporation.
To learn more about TESU’s academic programs, visit www.tesu.edu.
About Thomas Edison State University
Thomas Edison State University provides distinctive undergraduate and graduate education for self-directed adults through flexible, high-quality collegiate learning and assessment opportunities. One of New Jersey’s senior public institutions of higher education, the University offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. Students earn degrees through a wide variety of rigorous and high-quality academic methods that can be customized to meet their individual needs. Identified by The New York Times as “the college that paved the way for flexibility,” the University is a national leader in assessing adult learning and a pioneer in the use of educational technologies. The New Jersey State Library is an affiliate. To learn more, visit www.tesu.edu or email admissions@tesu.edu.