Another HBCU student body is protesting a commencement speaker.
The Morehouse School of Medicine administration is facing pushback from students over the institution’s decision to select U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, a Georgia Republican, to deliver the graduation address.
School leaders announced McCormick, an alum, would speak at the May 16 ceremony, framing the invitation as a “homecoming, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
However, students argue that his political views and legislative record “are in direct opposition to our institution’s values and harmful to the very patients we aim to serve,” according to a four-page letter drafted to the school’s administration.
Morehouse students express concern about conservative speaker
In the letter, the students took issue with McCormick’s stance against DEI, undocumented immigrants, and gender-affirming care.
The student-led petition calling for the school to reconsider McCormick has drawn more than 1,200 online signatures.
“This decision goes beyond political disagreement. We hope leadership understands that the hurt and frustration surrounding this decision stem not only from differing opinions but from the feeling that student voices, lived experiences, and trust in institutional leadership are being overlooked.”
Students also demonstrated on campus on Wednesday, holding signs that read “DEI Saves Lives” while urging administrators to reconsider.
McCormick responds to protests
McCormick said he respects differing opinions but stands by his record of public service. He indicated he still plans to attend and deliver the address.
“I plan to deliver the speech to honor my alma mater, celebrate the graduates’ achievements, and continue a tradition I’ve been part of before,” he said in a statement. “My character and contributions should be judged on merit, not politics or appearance.”
The controversy at Morehouse School of Medicine mirrors a similar situation at South Carolina State University, where student backlash prompted officials to withdraw Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette as commencement speaker, citing security concerns.
At Morehouse, students have also raised concerns about McCormick’s endorsement of President Donald Trump and policies they say could disproportionately impact underserved communities and aspiring medical students.
McCormick, the first graduate of Morehouse School of Medicine elected to Congress, has previously spoken at the institution and said recent protests have been disappointing.
“That’s my alma mater,” he said at a town hall in Marietta. “I got protests in the last couple of days, and it was hurtful.”
