Volunteers are needed for the annual pre-commencement recognition ceremony, Umoja: Celebration of Black Graduates, at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 9, in the Brown Ballroom of the Bone Student Center. The theme for the 2019 celebration is “Unapologetic Blackness.”
A celebration of African-American and other students of color, the event honors those with unyielding determination who have successfully completed undergraduate and graduate degrees from Illinois State in 2019.
Faculty, staff, and community members can volunteer to be part of—and support—the ceremony. Registration can be found on the Umoja website.
Support opportunities for the ceremony are available through the Sankofa and Harambee circles. The Sankofa Circle consists of alumni or graduates of Illinois State University who continue to support, advocate, and encourage current and future students to reach their goals.
The Sankofa Circle will participate in the opening processional, and all participants are requested to wear cultural attire.
The Harambee Circle of Culture functions similarly to a circle of elders for the event. The circle will consist of faculty, staff, and community representatives, who have supported, advocated for, taught, and/or encouraged students to reach this important goal.
Volunteers who wish to assist in setting up and running of the ceremony can view available jobs at the registration website.
For additional information, contact Dr. Pamela Twyman Hoff at phoff@ilstu.edu or Kahdeejah Kuntu at kkuntu@ilstu.edu.
Diversity and Inclusion are University core values, stated in Educate Connect Elevate: Illinois State—The Strategic Plan for Illinois’ First Public University 2018-2023.
