Virginia State University has announced that Congresswoman Lucy McBath and Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan will serve as the marshals for the 2023 Homecoming Parade. The parade is a time-honored event in the university’s annual Homecoming celebration that will take place on Saturday, October 14, starting at 9:00 a.m.
Congresswoman McBath is a proud VSU alum who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1982. Before running for Congress, McBath worked as a national spokeswoman for Everytown for Gun Safety. In 2012, she lost her son to an issue related to gun violence and decided to become a vocal advocate for gun control.
McBath ventured into politics in 2016 when she served as a surrogate for the Hillary Clinton for President campaign as one of the “Mothers of The Movement.” Two years later, she was elected to represent Georgia’s 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. She became the first Democratic candidate to win the district since it was re-drawn in 1993. In 2021, McBath won her reelection in Georgia’s 7th congressional district.
Joining McBath as a parade marshal is Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, a proud Petersburg native. McClellan has had a successful political career, serving in the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate. Earlier this year, she was elected to Virginia’s 4th congressional district in a special election, making history as the first African-American woman to represent Virginia in Congress.
Despite earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond and her law degree from the University of Virginia, McClellan has deep ties to VSU, where her father was a professor and her mother worked as a counselor. In August, the university welcomed her to campus as part of its Black Business Month celebration.
VSU is extremely honored to have such distinguished guests serve as this year’s Homecoming parade marshals. McBath and McClellan are inspirational leaders who embody the values and principles that VSU strives to instill in its students.
The 2023 Homecoming Parade is open to the public and will take place on campus. For information about parking and to view the updated parade route, please visit vsu.edu.