April 17, 2019, (Jackson, Miss.) - Graduating students will be honored atBelhaven University's Commencement Ceremony May 4, 2019 at Thalia Mara Hall, 255 East Pascagoula Street. The day of convocation will begin with the traditional undergraduate ceremony at 9:30 a.m. and the adult, online, and graduate ceremony at 2:30 p.m.
Dr. Billy Kim will be the commencement speaker for the 
morning graduation ceremony. Dr. Kim is a broadcaster, pastor, and influential speaker. As an international Christian statesman, he has advised former presidents of South Korea. Dr. Kim built an international media network called the Far East Broadcasting Company-Korea where he serves as Chairman of the Board. He became the first Asian to serve as the president of the 40 million-member Baptist World Alliance.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts at Bob Jones University. After completing his studies in the U.S., Dr. Kim returned to Korea and founded the 17,000-member Central Baptist Church in Suwon, Korea where he served for 47 years as Senior Pastor. He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Suwon Central Baptist while leading the Antioch congregation at Won Chun Church in Suwon.
Dr. Kim was the interpreter for Billy Graham in the famous Seoul Crusade of 1973 where over one million persons attended. In 1992, he was decorated by the President of South Korea for his effective efforts in changing the relationship between Korea and the countries of China and Russia. Dr. Kim has received a total of 16 honorary doctorates in recognition of his significant contributions in advancing the Kingdom of God around the world. Dr. Kim is married to Trudy Stephens Kim and is the father of three children: Joseph, John, and Mary Kay.
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Esq. will be the commencement speaker for the afternoon graduation ceremony that will include Belhaven's adult, online, and graduate students. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2005 from Tuskegee University where he served as president of both the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society and the Tuskegee Political Science Association.
In 2008, Lumumba earned his juris doctorate and a certificate in sports and entertainment law from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. After law school, he immediately returned to Jackson, Mississippi and began his work as a junior associate at Lumumba, Freelon, & Associates. Within a year, he was promoted to managing attorney. He litigated criminal and civil cases, and he represented various sports and entertainment clients for the firm. He is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association as well as the Magnolia Bar Association. In 2013, he launched his own firm, Lumumba & Associates.
In 2017, Lumumba defeated nine other viable candidates in the Democratic primary for mayor. He went on to win the city's general election by 93% on June 6, 2017. As mayor, he has been recognized as one of Mississippi's Top 50 Most Influential Leaders and was named one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans of 2017 by the Root. Lumumba is a faithful member of Free Christian Ministries and serves on the church's leadership team. Chokwe Antar is married to Ebony Lumumba and the couple has two daughters, Alake' Maryama and Nubia Ngozi.