College graduation, the pinnacle of a young adult’s life, is a personal, familial and, perhaps, even communal celebration.
Now, take a Historically Black College and University graduation. It represents all of the above and more. Founded to educate the underserved black community in the post-slavery era, HBCUs today welcome people of all races and backgrounds and provide an opportunity to any qualified individual who desires higher education. Students who cross that stage on their graduation day join an elite group of young, educated professionals. Only 28 percent of African Americans graduate from college; therefore, those who make it deserve to be celebrated.
On March 28, the office of first lady Michelle Obama announced she would give commencement addresses at three universities. Only one HBCU was selected, N.C. A&T State University. Upon receiving this news, excitement hit the social networks. Graduates immediately notified their families, and the A&T administration began making necessary changes for the commencement ceremony.
The only major change was the university’s decision to ticket the ceremony. Every person who enters the Greensboro Coliseum must have a ticket or lanyard (lanyards will be given to faculty, platform guests and those working the event ). At first, graduates would only receive six tickets for their families. This raised an issue. By tradition, A&T’s commencement ceremony has never been ticketed. Anyone and everyone had access to the coliseum.
For months, graduates’ loved ones have been making arrangements to attend their students’ graduation and suddenly it was unknown who actually would be able to attend. Students were enraged, and with good reason. They wanted the loved ones who helped them through their years of higher education at the finish line with them.
The A&T administration and the Student Government Association immediately began damage control. Working together, we finalized the distribution of tickets to give each graduate two more tickets, bringing the total to eight tickets. We held an informational forum, hosted by the SGA and led by A&T’s chancellor, Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr., to answer any questions. Students openly expressed their opinions about the situation, which were mostly negative and very closed-minded.
At the end, the SGA stood before the students and I, Jasmine Gurley, Miss North Carolina A&T, addressed the students, stating that they needed to look at the big picture.
Of all the universities in the country, only three were chosen. Of the 105 HBCUs in our country, A&T was selected.
It is an honor to have the First Lady of our nation speak at our commencement, especially the first African American first lady. She is an international, icon, attracting global attention. Our graduation has become more than a rite of passage. This is bigger than the Class of 2012, N.C. A&T and the Greensboro community. We have to accommodate all that comes with the honor and responsibility of hosting the first lady. That includes admission for the faculty who have taught at our institution for more years than we’ve been in school; staff who have diligently served the university while often being overlooked or forgotten; citizens of the community who have supported A&T over the years; alumni who represent A&T with esteem and give back monetarily to secure A&T’s future; and A&T’s underclassmen, who need to see our graduation in order to have a visual of their own attainable future. They all have a right to be at the Greensboro Coliseum on May 12.
Aggie Pride is more than just a school spirit chant, it is a lifestyle: Achieving Great Goals In Everything, Producing Renowned Individuals Dedicated to Excellence. My graduating class exudes excellence in too many ways to list. It is only fitting that the first African American first lady of the United States of America would want to usher us into the elite 28 percent and I, for one, am humbled and honored to welcome her to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University!
Jasmine Gurley is a senior journalism and mass communications major from Mitchellville, Md., and the outgoing Miss A&T.
This op-ed originally appeared in the News & Record on April 22, 2012
