Myself and more than 9,000 other students representing 57 different countries, 49 states and 54 Pennsylvania counties graduated from Temple University on May 16, 2013. And as he has for nearly all Temple University commencement programs, Bill Cosby – a proud member on the board of directors and honorary alum – graced the podium for one of his comedic, riveting talks.

In all my four years rocking cherry and white, I looked forward to the day where I would be seated in the graduate audience to listen to Bill’s wisdom. To laugh at his wit. To hear him address the parents with advice on kicking us out. To feel inspired that no matter the obstacle, the dreams we wish to obtain were possible if we worked for it. Never felt prouder to be an Owl.

Hiding behind fumbled words and canceled events since being accused by multiple women of alleged sexual abuse – the Bill Cosby I watched as a child on Nick Jr. with my family and attentively listened to as an adult is exemplifying the textbook behavior of a coward. His unwillingness to speak up about these allegations is only detonating more C4 to his name and in the flames of the blast insensitive figureheads like CNN’s Don Lemon are making a mockery of this tumultuous situation through unsavory remarks and victim shaming.The “pudding” joke is no longer funny. His silence is debilitating.