Florida A&M University College of Law Announces Florida Bar President Sia Baker Barnes as 2026 Hooding Ceremony Speaker
ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida A&M University College of Law has named Sia Baker Barnes, president of The Florida Bar, as the 2026 Hooding Ceremony speaker.
The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, May 7, at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Orlando. The Hooding Ceremony will honor graduates from Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026.
The Hooding Ceremony is one of the College of Law’s most meaningful traditions, a moment when graduates cross the threshold from students to alumni. In selecting President Baker Barnes, the College honors a leader whose career reflects resilience, purpose and an unwavering belief in the power of the law to change lives.
“I am deeply honored and truly excited to serve as the keynote speaker for the Florida A&M University College of Law’s Hooding Ceremony,” President Baker Barnes said. “This moment is more than a celebration — it is a powerful reflection of our past, a testament to our present and a promise for our future. It embodies the hopes and aspirations of our extraordinary FAMU law graduates — leaders who are driven by service, rooted in community and steadfast in their commitment to expanding opportunity for all. I am immensely proud of each of you and eagerly look forward to witnessing the remarkable impact you will undoubtedly make.”
Her journey mirrors the aspirations of many FAMU Law students, driven by service, grounded in community, and committed to expanding opportunity. Throughout her career, President Baker Barnes has demonstrated how legal training can be used not only to build professional success, but also to open doors for others and strengthen the communities’ lawyers are called to serve.
“This ceremony marks both an ending and a beginning for our graduates,” said Associate Provost and Interim Dean Cecil Howard. “President Baker Barnes represents the kind of leader we hope our students become, skilled, compassionate, and deeply aware of the responsibility that comes with the title of attorney. Her voice and story will resonate powerfully with the graduates.”
Set in the grandeur of the Dr. Phillips Center, the Hooding Ceremony, will celebrate more than academic achievement. It will celebrate perseverance, late nights of study, personal sacrifice, bar exam dreams and the collective determination that defines the Rattler spirit.
Media Contact
Rachel James-Terry
Senior Director of Strategic Communications
rachel.jamesterry@famu.edu
Robin Holmes
Assistant Director of University Relations/Public Relations
College of Law
robin.holmes@famu.edu
