Howard College celebrated its 157th Graduation on Sunday with the most important graduating class within the historical past of the HBCU. A complete of three,167 college students acquired levels, marking a 13% enhance from the earlier 12 months, in accordance with The Dig, the college’s information service.
The graduates represented 44 U.S. states and 29 nations, highlighting the worldwide attain and continued development of Howard’s educational group.
Actor, director, and training advocate LeVar Burton delivered the keynote deal with, bringing a mixture of nostalgia and inspiration to the ceremony. Identified for his iconic roles in Roots and Studying Rainbow, Burton shocked attendees by singing the “Butterfly within the Sky” theme music from the beloved PBS sequence. He used the second to remind college students of their heritage and collective power.
“Keep in mind that you’re descended from among the most resilient souls within the historical past of humanity,” Burton instructed the graduates. “I can not consider that I’m right here, at Howard College—the Mecca—to have fun with you this most auspicious day.”
Burton described graduation as a religious threshold, deeply rooted in Black tradition and custom.
“Graduation is a passage,” he stated. “It’s a portal between all that has come earlier than it and all that which is but to come back.”
Laurence C. Morse, chair of Howard’s Board of Trustees, echoed Burton’s reflections, encouraging graduates to contemplate the legacy they’re becoming a member of.
“Deeply embedded into this terra firma are the footsteps of previous alumni who’ve trod the Lengthy Stroll to finish their Howard sojourn and obtain their hard-earned, well-deserved Howard diploma,” Morse stated.
The record-setting ceremony underscored Howard College’s continued dedication to educational excellence and cultural legacy on the Washington, D.C. HBCU.
