2026 Commencement Speaker and Honorees: A Celebration of Leadership, Service, and Community
On Saturday, May 30th in Downtown Boston, we will celebrate our graduates with an inspiring lineup for our 2026 commencement ceremony. This year’s celebration will honor leaders whose work transforms lives and strengthens communities both locally and across the globe.
Our keynote speaker will be Lincoln C. Mali, a global philanthropist and equity-driven financial services executive. Urban College will also present Mali with an honorary degree in Human Services in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to financial inclusion and leadership development across Africa.
A Global Leader Dedicated to Inclusion and Opportunity
Lincoln C. Mali
Lincoln C. Mali currently serves as CEO for Southern Africa at Lesaka Technologies, a fintech company expanding access to financial tools for historically underserved consumers and merchants. Since joining the company in 2021, Mali has led Lesaka through a period of remarkable growth, quadrupling earnings and moving the company toward a vertically integrated digital financial ecosystem serving communities across Southern Africa.
Before his tenure at Lesaka, Mali held senior leadership roles at Standard Bank Group, including Head of Group Card and Payments. He is also the founding president of the Association of South African Payment Providers (ASAPP), co‑founder of the Lincoln Mali Leadership Foundation, and author of Blazing a Trail: Lessons for African Leadership. Known for his disciplined, people‑first leadership style, Mali has become a driving force behind innovation, youth empowerment, and expanded financial access across the African continent.
“His commitment to service, global citizenship, and leadership mirrors the values we instill in our graduates,” said Dr. Yves Salomon‑Fernández, president of Urban College. “He will inspire and energize students as they begin their next chapter.”
Mali holds degrees in law, politics, and business from Rhodes University and Henley Management College, and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program, where he served as class speaker. His work has garnered international recognition, including the Distinguished Old Rhodian Award and the 2025 All Africa Business Leader of the Year honor.
Reflecting on his selection, Mali shared: “I believe deeply in the power of education to transform lives, families, and entire communities. My hope is these graduates leave not only with knowledge, but with the confidence to lead, serve, and bring meaningful change back to the places that shaped them.”
Honoring a Champion of Boston’s Arts and Education Communities
Denella J. Clark
Commencement weekend will also celebrate the achievements of Denella J. Clark, president and CEO of the Boston Arts Academy Foundation. Clark will receive the Robert M. Coard Leadership Award, which recognizes exceptional leadership and service to Boston's communities. Like Mali, she will also be awarded an honorary degree in Human Services.
A proud Jamaican immigrant and longtime Hyde Park resident, Clark has built a career dedicated to philanthropy, equity advocacy, and youth development. Her leadership extends across local and national organizations from serving on the City of Boston’s racial equity committees to roles with NBC Universal, the Red Cross, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, and the NAACP.
Clark’s connection to Urban College is deeply personal. Her mother, Pastor Pearline B. James, was a beloved Urban College alumna whose life’s work centered on caregiving and community support. In honor of her mother’s legacy, Clark launched the Pastor Pearline James LOVIN’ Gestures Fund in 2024 to support family caregivers and promote well‑being across the community.
“This institution opened doors for my mother, and her journey continues to inspire the work I do every day,” Clark shared. “To be honored by a college that transforms families and strengthens our city is a privilege.”
Dr. Salomon‑Fernández added: “Denella Clark is her mother’s living legacy. Her leadership is rooted in service, integrity, and a deep commitment to uplifting others.”
A Celebration Rooted in Culture and Community
The 2026 commencement festivities will begin at 12:30 p.m. with a dynamic lion dance performance led by the Gund Kwok Asian Women’s Lion and Dragon Troupe, starting from Urban College’s campus and leading to the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater. The formal ceremony will begin at 1:00 p.m.