Emmy Award-winning Sheryl Lee Ralph will congratulate Tulane University’s Class of 2025 on their graduation as the keynote speaker for the Unified Commencement ceremony at Caesars Superdome on May 17. Ralph is best known for her character as longtime elementary school teacher Barbara Howard in ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.”

Ralph attended Rutgers University in New Jersey before making her debut on Broadway in 1980 in “Reggae” and a year later, “Dreamgirls.” After transitioning from stage to screen, Ralph became the second Black woman to win a Primetime Emmy Award for “outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series” for her character on “Abbott Elementary” in 2022. 

Ralph was named “advocate of the year” in 2024 by Out100 for her work with the LGBTQ+ community. Based on her role in “Dreamgirls” which is considered a staple of the queer community, Ralph founded The Diva Foundation in 1990 to improve health outcomes for those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS through the “transformative power of the arts.” 

Ralph will join the star-studded list of past Tulane commencement speakers that includes former President George H. W. Bush, Ellen DeGeneres, Maya Rudolph and Ruby Bridges.