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Quinta Brunson will be Temple University’s commencement speaker this year

The 'Abbott Elementary' star and Emmy-winning actor will also be receiving the 2024 Lew Klein Excellence in the Media Award.

Quinta Brunson, winner of the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for "Abbott Elementary," poses in the press room during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Quinta Brunson, winner of the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for "Abbott Elementary," poses in the press room during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)Read moreAshley Landis / AP

Quinta Brunson has been tapped to deliver Temple University’s 137th commencement speech on May 8.

The Emmy Award-winning actress and Temple graduate will also receive an honorary degree, the university announced Friday.

“I am simply honored,” the Abbott Elementary star said in a Temple-issued press release.

“We are thrilled to recognize Quinta Brunson for her remarkable achievements and unwavering dedication to her craft,” Temple’s interim president, Richard M. Englert said in a press release. “Quinta embodies the spirit of Temple’s commitment to creativity, innovation and social impact. Her talent, authenticity, and trailblazing spirit inspire us all.”

Brunson, who took home the NAACP Image Award for best actress in a comedy series televised earlier this week, will have a busy week at Temple in May. She will also receive the Temple’s prestigious 2024 Lew Klein Excellence in the Media Award, a day before commencement, on May 7.

The Lew Klein Award is inspired by the legacy of media educator and broadcast pioneer Lew Klein, who helped develop American Bandstand and the Action News format that made 6ABC a powerhouse. He died in 2019. Each year Temple’s Klein College of Media and Communication department presents the award to a media luminary whose work inspires students, said David Boardman, dean of Klein College.

Brunson, who attended Klein College in the 2010s, got her start on Temple University Television’s comedy show, Temple Smash. She won best lead actress in a comedy series at this year’s Emmy Awards is only the second Black woman to win the award. Isabelle Sanford won in 1981 for her role as Louise Jefferson, in The Jeffersons.