Howard University cancels graduation amid capacity issues
Dozens of families were left waiting after Howard University canceled its nursing school commencement an hour into the ceremony on May 9.
The incident occurred about an hour into the ceremony, as family members were locked out, while attendees banged on the glass in protest.
Video shows people shouting outside to let them into the building, with broken glass spilled around them.
This was Howard’s largest graduating class ever. yet some students weren’t allowed to walk across the stage and collect their diplomas.
According to the The Hilltop, Howard’s student-run newspaper, crowds began to form around 4 p.m. Attendees were told they would not be allowed into the ceremony until after they arrived.
“I feel completely devastated, I feel blindsided,” said Kalysta Henderson, a health science major from Riverside to The Hilltop. “I did not know it was going to be like this. My entire family flew out here.”
Howard University is a private, historically Black college or “HBCU” located in Washington, D.C.
HBCUs were established before 1964 to educate Black Americans and offer a supportive environment for academic and cultural development.
HBCUs provide opportunities such as mentorship, networking, and job placements. While prioritizing inclusion, they support first-generation and underserved students.
Founded in 1867, it offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.
This cancellation comes as several commencement ceremonies across the nation have been disrupted due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Many students in this cohort are from the class of 2020, who experienced a worldwide pandemic that shut down live graduations and led families to find alternative ways to celebrate their graduates.
University officials apologized to the nursing school class at the school’s commencement on May 11.
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