KC native Don Cheadle to speak at UMKC commencement ceremony

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 13: Don Cheadle of “Black Monday” speaks during the Showtime segment of the 2020 Winter TCA Press Tour at The …

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 13: Don Cheadle of “Black Monday” speaks during the Showtime segment of the 2020 Winter TCA Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 13, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

by: Karra Small

Posted: Dec 16, 2020 / 08:38 PM CST

Updated: Dec 16, 2020 / 08:38 PM CST

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City native Don Cheadle will speak to graduates at the University of Missouri Kansas City during a virtual ceremony this week.

This year’s summer and winter graduates will be celebrated during a virtual commencement ceremony Saturday, Dec. 19.

Cheadle, who was born in Kansas City, went on to become a successful actor in television and movies. He won Screen Actor’s Guild Awards for his roles in the films “Traffic” and “Crash” and he was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in “Hotel Rwanda.”

Cheadle’s uncle and three of his cousins attended UMKC, according to a news release issued by the university.

This year’s commencement ceremony takes place online at 10 a.m. and graduates will be able to take photos on campus and at the Country Club Plaza afterwards.

“The UMKC community should be proud of our students’ diligence and commitment to abiding by guidelines in order to keep themselves and each other healthy and safe,” says UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal. “We salute their dedication to our community and their education. Though they will no longer be students, they will always be Roos.”