Education

Virginia AG Jay Jones To Keynote Norfolk State’s Spring Commencement

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones will address nearly 600 graduates at Norfolk State University’s 116th Commencement, highlighting a legacy of public service and Black leadership rooted in Norfolk.
#NSUGrad2026 #NorfolkState #JayJones #HBCUExcellence #BlackLeadership #CommencementSeason #VirginiaNews #HBCUPride #Graduation2026 #NorfolkVA

(NSU Newsroom)

Jay Jones, Virginia’s 49th Attorney General, will deliver the keynote address to nearly 600 graduating students at Norfolk State University’s Commencement Ceremony. The 116th Commencement is scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, May 9, 2026, at William “Dick” Price Stadium.

Jones is a lifelong Norfolk resident whose commitment to public service spans generations. His grandfather, Hilary H. Jones Sr. was a pioneering civil rights attorney and the first Black member of both the Norfolk School Board and the Virginia State Board of Education.

Jones’s father, Jerrauld C. Jones, was one of the few Virginians to serve in all three branches of state government — the General Assembly, the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Circuit Court. His mother, Lyn Simmons, is a judge on the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, after a long career as a prosecutor and as an attorney in private practice.

Jones has previously served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and as a litigator, leading key efforts to protect voting rights across the Commonwealth.

The graduation ceremony will also include two honorary degree recipients, Virginia Delegate Luke E. Torian and Former NSU Board of Visitors member BK Fulton.

Torian, who represents Prince William County, serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and is Chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. In addition, he chairs the Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission and serves on several key statewide bodies.

Former NSU Board of Visitors member BK Fulton is a seasoned executive and media entrepreneur. His producing portfolio spans film, television, publishing and live theater.

His honors include being named a Sloan Fellow and a recipient of the prestigious Smithsonian Laureate’s Medal, where his work and writings are permanently archived at the Smithsonian.