In their own words: Central State University Commencement speakers deliver messages of unity, growth, and purpose

The voices of students and distinguished guests rang out across Central State University’s William Patrick McPherson Memorial Stadium during the 2025 Commencement Ceremony, offering a celebration of academic success, identity, perseverance, and purpose. Speeches from student leaders Mer’Kyah Warren and Denzel McCoy, keynote speaker Dr. Myron L. Rolle, and Xenia Mayor Will Urschel wove together a rich message for the graduating class. 

Mer’Kyah Warren: “We are finally here.” 

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Mer’Kyah Warren, a criminal justice graduate from Toledo and acting president of the Student Government Association, opened the ceremony with a heartfelt welcome. 

Warren thanked faculty, staff, supporters, and the graduating seniors’ families and friends. “Your presence and encouragement helped carry us to this moment.”  

To her fellow graduates, Warren said, “We did it,” to roaring applause.  

“We pushed through every challenge and came out stronger. Being a CSU Marauder taught me the value of leadership, accountability, and using my voice to create change. To Central State, thank you for being the place where we found our voices and our purpose. … We may be stepping into the unknown, but we’re not stepping alone, so let’s walk with pride.” 

Denzel McCoy: “Central State became the somewhere.” 

Senior Class President Denzel McCoy, a computer science major from Columbus, reflected on the journey from uncertainty to clarity. 

Echoing the words of the Rev. Kima Cunningham, McCoy said his peers were not share whether they made the right decision “to come to this place in the middle of nowhere.”  

“God helped us to see that this nowhere was actually somewhere. Central State became the somewhere that shaped our lives. The journey has not been easy, but Class of 2025, we made it to the finish line. We made it, ya’ll! We faced and overcame many challenges and roadblocks on our journey. Through it all, we remained strong. We did not allow our struggles to overcome us; instead, we trusted in God.  

“So now, as we walk across this stage today, I want you all to go out into the world with the same resilience and determination that’s carried you through these past few years.”  

Mayor Will Urschel: “We are here because we care.” 

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Representing the city of Xenia, Mayor Will Urschel brought greetings and encouragement, recognizing the graduates for their outstanding achievements.  

“This diploma you’re going to get today is a big step in your career, and you’ve accomplished things that are really hard,” Urschel said, adding when facing challenges, the graduates should look back on their time at CSU. “You need to remember back to today and say, ‘Yes, I can do hard things. I’ve been through hard things, and I can do that as well.’” 

He left each graduate with a challenge: Find their calling in service, whether in their workplace or in the schools and communities in which they live.  

“You’re going to have all kinds of high school kids in this new community; they’re just about ready to give up. They’re going to say, ‘We can’t do this because it’s too hard.’ You can come alongside and tell them, ‘Yes, you can! Because I was there, and it was hard and you can do that.’ You can encourage them. 

“Take today. Revel in today. But when the next couple of months, dive into that calling as well,” he concluded.  

Dr. Myron Rolle: “The 2% Way" 

Keynote speaker Dr. Myron L. Rolle, a Harvard-trained neurosurgeon and former NFL player, delivered a motivating address rooted in discipline and purpose. His “2% way” — a personal philosophy developed as a student-athlete at Florida State University — emphasizes steady, daily progress. 

“Instead of trying to get 100% better, just get 2% better,” Dr. Rolle said. “Win each day. Take a small bite. And if you do that, you can block out the background noise, block out the distractions, and continue to move forward, onward, upward toward who you ought to be, who you need to be.” 

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Dr. Rolle reflected on the setbacks he faced on his way to becoming a physician, noting that faith, support systems, and incremental growth helped him overcome them. He offered four guiding values: 

• School – Continue learning and growing. 

• Support – Surround yourself with people who make you better. 

• Service – Give back with your gifts and time. 

• Spirit – Stay rooted in your purpose. 

“Run your race,” he concluded. “Do what God has purposed you to do.” 

Together, these speakers offered the Class of 2025 not only congratulations, but a challenge: to carry the Marauder spirit into the world with humility, courage, and conviction. From students to civic leaders to global changemakers, their messages echoed one theme — the journey begins now.