Popular White House correspondent and CNN political analyst April Ryan will speak at the fall graduation at Tennessee State University, the historically black college and university said this week.

Commencement exercises will be held Saturday, Dec. 9 at 9:00 a.m. in the Howard C. Gentry complex on the main campus in Nashville.

Building on its heritage as historically black college, Tennessee State University prepares students for leadership, professional success, personal achievement, and service to local, national, and international communities.

Ryan earned her Bachelor of Science degree in telecommunications from Morgan State University, one of Maryland’s four historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Ryan was born in Baltimore, Md., and is a second-generation Morgan State graduate.

In May 2017, the National Association of Black Journalists named Ryan as the “Journalist of the Year”.

A 30-year journalism veteran, she has been White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks since January 1997, covering three U.S. presidents, and was recently hired by CNN as a political analyst.  She is the author of the book “The Presidency in Black and White: My Up-Close View of Three Presidents and Race in America,” which was published in 2015. The bestseller was named by NBC NEWS as one of 14 books to read during Black History Month 2015.

On behalf of the American Urban Radio Networks, and through her “Fabric of America” news blog, Ryan delivers millions of African Americans and close to 300 radio affiliates a “unique urban and minority perspective in news.”

Prior to working for American Urban Radio Networks, Ryan worked for radio stations in Baltimore, including WXYV-FM, where she was news director.

Over the past 18 years, Ryan has conducted one-on-one interviews with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Senator John Kerry and a host of others. Ryan has been credited by a White House historian as having the most radio interviews with then-President Bill Clinton during his White House years.

Ryan was elected to serve on the board of the prestigious White House Correspondents Association for a three-year term in 2011. She is one of only three African Americans in the association’s 100-year history to serve on the WHCA board.

For more information on the graduation ceremony, call Tennessee State University 615.963.5331