The Umoja Steering Committee is hosting its fifth annual pre-commencement celebration at Illinois State University. Umoja: Celebration of Black Graduates will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, at the Center for the Performing Arts. The theme for the 2017 celebration is “From a Mighty Stock We Come.”

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Umoja website.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Associate Dean of Students Renee Watson.

Umoja applauds the accomplishments and unique challenges faced by students while pursuing their education. As a symbolic rite of passage, Umoja welcomes graduates into the ISU alumni family and encourages them to take their places in communities across the world as self-determined individuals and citizens.

The theme, “From a Mighty Stock We Come,” draws from the African American literary tradition wherein the word “mighty” is used as a redemptive rallying call to action. Find out more about the Umoja celebration, and ways to get involved.