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Oprah Winfrey delivers commencement address at JCSU graduation

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It was a star-studded graduation ceremony for Johnson C. Smith University as Oprah Winfrey delivered the commencement address Sunday morning.

Winfrey delivered on a promise that she made to two students who attended the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.

Joyce Glasby, who is in town from Baltimore to see her cousin graduate from JCSU, said Oprah's presence made it even more significant.

"It's something that the students will never forget," she said. “The graduates will be able to mark this occasion because they got to hear from Oprah."

Winfrey offered words of encouragement for the JCSU graduates, who she said have a bright future, but will make mistakes along the way and should know how to handle them.

"You make mistakes because failure is God's way of moving you in another direction.  It's saying (you are) going down the wrong lane," Winfrey said.

Winfrey said there was no way she would've missed this graduation because she made a promise to the late South African leader Nelson Mandela to see two JCSU graduates get their diplomas.

"Nothing would keep me from being here to celebrate the promise that I made to Nelson Mandela over 10 years ago," she said.

She says Mpumi Nobiva and Thando Dlomo her "daughters.”

Both were part of the inaugural class of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. They called her presence Sunday, and throughout their lives, an honor.

"Just being here was enough me," Dlomo said.  "And now the fact she's here with me is awesome."

"I'm excited to graduate today," Nobiva said.  "It's a fabulous experience. To have Mom Oprah here to be here with us and support us is beyond us, really."

As part of Oprah's promise to Mandela, she had to immediately leave Charlotte to get to Atlanta Sunday afternoon to see another leadership academy student who is graduating from Spelman College.

Dlomo and Nobiva were two of the 72 girls invited to be part of the leadership academy's inaugural class.

Nobiva said graduation is a proud day for her because of all the obstacles she has faced.

"This is a huge success for young Zulu girls who grew up in townships raised by grandmothers, single mothers. I’m an AIDS orphan, and it's just a tremendous achievement to stand before you all today,” Nobiva said at the JCSU press conference.

Nobiva said Winfrey not only encouraged her in her education, but also taught her how to be a strong woman.

“Mom Oprah was very specific in the sort of women she wanted to raise. She called it the 'it girl,' but now we understand that it really stands for grit and tenacity, a girl of strength who can stand in her truth and be validated in the world,” Nobiva said.

Dlomo said she can't thank Winfrey enough for giving her an opportunity that helped her achieve a college diploma.

"She has high expectations for us. She always says, 'The only thing I expect of you is for you to be the best you you can be,'” Dlomo said.

Winfrey said during her commencement speech that she is proud of all the graduating students.

"You're going to make mistakes. Every stumble is not a fall, and every fall is not a failure," Winfrey said.