Livingstone College News Service

SALISBURY — Livingstone College has announced that Maurice L. Coleman, the tax credit syndication and investment executive at Bank of America, has been selected to deliver the keynote address at the 2024 commencement exercises. The ceremony will take place on May 4 at 9 a.m. in Varick Auditorium.

Coleman is a distinguished executive in the banking industry with over two decades of experience in private equity, corporate banking and real estate. At Bank of America, he leads a national team responsible for the bank’s origination of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity through syndication partners to create affordable housing, as well as the delivery of Historic Tax Credits (HTC) to preserve and restore historic properties across the country.

In addition to his professional achievements, Coleman is known for his commitment to community development and education. He has served as the chairman of the board of directors of three national Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), the co-founder/vice chairman of two charter schools, and actively serves on the board of visitors at Columbia College for Columbia University. He is a graduate of Columbia University, where he received both a B.A. in history and economics and a MPA from the School of International and Public Affairs with a concentration in public finance. He attended the Columbia Business School Management Program and has served as a guest lecturer at the Columbia Business School, teaching finance and social impact investing.

Livingstone College President Dr. Anthony J. Davis will present Coleman with an honorary doctorate in recognition of his outstanding contributions to banking and society.

“I pretended to be just a basketball player,” said Coleman, who was often self-conscious of his ability to score high on exams as a youth because he was told that sports took precedence over academics.

Despite growing up in a lower working-class family with limited income, Coleman had an unobstructed vision for his future, shaped by his parents’ emphasis on education, which instilled a strong sense of purpose in him.

“I am honored and humbled to have been selected as the keynote speaker for Livingstone College’s 2024 commencement exercises,” Coleman said. “I look forward to sharing my experiences and insights with the graduates and their families and to congratulating them on their achievements.”