UmojaBLACK GRADUATION CELEBRATION

5thAnnual

From a Mighty Stock We Come

Thursday, May 11, 2017 Center for Performing Arts 7:00 pm

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Renee T. Watson, Associate Dean of Students

Sephrine AchesahAlison BaileyGuy BanickiMildred BarnesAdrian and Pamela CooperJohn DavenportRicardo and Carol Del CruzShayla DennisLucille EckrichJamillah GilbertAngela HaasElaine HardyBeth HattPamela T. Hoff

Harambee Circle of CultureArlene HoseaMay JadallahJanice Jenkins-JamisonJudi KhalilallahJonathan LacklandKarla Martin Lucrisha McAllisterPhyllis McCluskey TitusShantira NorrisMohamed Nur-Awaleh Stacy OttoTiffany PuckettDiane Renn Flourice W. Richardson

Benjamin RyburnKwasi SamLenford C. Sutton, Sr.Daphyne WalkerRenee T. WatsonJanessa WilliamsTuwana WingfieldVenus Evans WintersPalmira Vilasanta

Karyn L. Aguirre ‘86Whitney Mittons, ‘12Reginald Georgia, ‘13Janelle Love, ‘13

Yvonne Akinyi, ‘15China Hawkins, ‘15Poshlyn Nicholson, ‘15Muriel Dorsey-Johnson, ‘15

Toni Wells, ‘16Ariane Chew, ‘16Brishaun Hamilton, ‘16LaCrisha McAllister, ‘13

Sankofa Circle [Alumni Circle]

Umoja Planning CommitteeDaniel JacksonSephrine AchesahTamekia BaileyAngell DavisLinda Tapley-FosterMesha Garner

Lindsay VahlHurdylyn Woods, Jr.China HawkinsJessica L. White

Pamela T. Hoff, Co-ChairQuanisha Kumi-DarfourLaCrisha McAllister, Co-ChairMohamed Nur-AwalehChrista PlattFlourice W. Richardson, Co-Chair

Community PartnersUmoja Community ForumBlack Graduate Student AssociationBlack Student UnionHarambee Circle of CultureDepartment of Educational Administration & FoundationsDepartment of English StudiesISU Graduate SchoolBloomington/Normal Branch NAACPOffice of the PresidentDean of Students OfficeOffice of the Vice President for Student AffairsBlack Colleagues AssociationWomen’s & Gender StudiesNeighbor-to-Neighbor Activity ClubAfrican Community & Friends AVFAP

ProgramBibi wa Sherehe -Angell Davis, Umoja Planning Committee

Processional* Justin Pickett, Israel Arts Harambee Circle of Culture Sankofa Circle [Alumni Circle] 2017 Umoja Graduates

Call to Order Angell Davis

Libations Dr. Mohamed Nur-Awaleh Advisor of Black Graduate Student Association

Welcome LaCrisha McAllister, President of BGSA 2017 Co-Chair Umoja Planning Committee

“Lift Every Voice” Angelic Owens and Faith Overall ISU student performance artists Introduction of Keynote Speaker Flourice W. Richardson 2017 Co-Chair Umoja Planning Committee

Keynote Address Dr. Renee Tamara Watson Associate Dean of Students

Special Performance Jamika Russell

Bestowing of Kente Cloth and Hurdylyn Woods, AnnouncerCertificate Presentation Umoja Planning Committee

Dr. Pamela Twyman Hoff Dr. Mohamed Nur-Awaleh

Black Colleagues Association Welcome Karyn L. Aguirre ‘86 President, Black Colleagues Association

Closing Remarks Dr. Pamela Twyman Hoff Flourice W. Richardson 2017 Co-Chairs Umoja Planning Committee Recessional Justin Pickett, Israel Arts

*Please stand

Umoja: Black Graduation Celebration Illinois State University

The Illinois State University (ISU) Umoja: Black Graduation Celebration was born from the hearts and minds of African American students, faculty, alumni and staff. It arose from a desire to acknowledge and celebrate the unique educational challenges, experiences, struggles and successes of students within the context of African and African-American culture.Within this cultural context, the event serves individual, group and socio-cultural purposes. Primarily, the event seeks to create a unique and culturally rich space that celebrates the successful completion and the awarding of degrees to graduates with the support of their families, faculty and staff.

In addition, the event serves as unifying symbol of perseverance in the recognition of a shared socio-cultural, political and educational history. Conceptualized within the African American tradition of transformative resistance, the event seeks to foster and extend dialogues that promote selfdetermination as it relates to retention. Finally, the event seeks to expand and ignite a counter narrative that disrupts the prevalence of deficit thinking and theorizing in education.

UmojaBLACK GRADUATION CELEBRATION

5thAnnual

From a Mighty Stock We Come

This year, we welcome back our ISU alumni to participate in our first Sankofa Cirlce.

The Sankofa Circle consists of alumni who continue to support, advocate and encourage current and future students to reach their goals.

“it is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.”

Sankofa Circle

UmojaBLACK GRADUATION CELEBRATIONIllinois State University

DoctoralDanny L. CochranChrista D. Platt

Master’sAlexis Brianna BeaufordChanel Akaila CarterTiffany E. FulfordAntishay D. GardnerNicole JonesLaShawnda KilgoreAshley Karnette MahonYewande Alice Marquis

Allyssa AdamsOluwabusayo AjasaGarry AllbrittonDanielle AlexanderBrittany Marie AlstonAliyah Denise AndersonAjah Lexi AvilesGloria Dan-yare AvogoKrystina BanksJeannette BekofeCaitlin BenavidesRonay P. BenionBrielle BennettAmber BlackeRashaun BlanchardLa’Nita Brooks

Elizabeth Grace MasonSierra Rae MooreJames NdoneTheoneste NzaranyimanaIndea Queen PoweAugustine SundayJade Taylor Triplett

BaccalaureateBreana BrownMarquise BrownEulalie K. BufoleSharvelle L. BullockJada CaffeyAaliyah K. CarterWilliam CarterDeAnna S.ChairseBriana A. ChambersCourtney Marie ChaversI-Kiel ColemanLatezia ColemanAnne CraigenEricka Carolyn CrispNatassia DunlapDiamond Edwards

Kimberly EichieTara FlowersAnna Imani FondrenMarixa FordAntonio K. FosterJenise FreemonDiamond Monet FrisonRaquel Cymone FullertonDaren GardnerAlexis Symone’ GarrettDeAsia GarrettJasmine GastonRita GebreselassieMosadi Imon GoodmanBrandi GreenRichard J. GreenfieldAarrieus GreerOlivia GriffinKyle B. HarbourElexis HartellTillman Hatell, IIRyann Jaci HemphillTatiana Shonique HendersonImani HenryCandace C. HintonRahgene Sheydon HoardChristian D. HobsonKyndle P. Hunter Ashley Makayla Hurley Biruk Asrat IjiguAndreas Jackson

Coretta L. JacksonLizzie Jefferson Claire JohnsonKadijah Johnson Lashaun JohnsonLaurien Je’Taun JohnsonBrandi JonesJaylon Christopher JoynerDe-Aundra KerbyBahiyyah KhalilallahDestiny KingcadeChristopher C. LarkAngela Miriah LathanLaNaisa Lee Naja Letitia Rosie LeeShaquan R. LeverstonJaneil LewisNivia Janelle LopezSymone LuckettTaylor Mechelle LytleTakira MackAshley MadisonTytianna MathewsDarius MatthewsTaaliah MaxeySylvia MayTaylor Denise McClain Jordan McCoyFelicia McKayDelane MclurkinRaheem Mills

UmojaBLACK GRADUATION CELEBRATIONIllinois State University

Stephen J. MinterAshley Morrison-Sain Natiera RobinsonBrigette M. NewsonAshlee Nicole OjediranSamiat OmotunwasheReginald Osborne, Jr.Victor OsuyakAnjelic OwensJessica Mariah PattersonStasha Devin-Nicole PattersonNichole Faye PearlPatrick PerryNathaline Margareth Pheteau Danielle Prude-HinesHakeem R. RichmondKena RidleyCaprice Ushae RisbyMalcolm Ross Kayla RussellAyanna SaffoldDanielle Latrice SimpsonCheyenne SimsDeja D. Sims

BaccalaureateShaina SmallJasmin SmithTayler B. SmithOluwatomi SoyegeKourtney KD SpragginsJabria M. StainbackChari’ Imani Stevens Shantiana Stevens Shaquita SturgeonTotiana J. SudduthJasmine Tate Divante TeagueGabrielle Alexandria Telles Amber TerrellKayla L. Thomas Tara ThomasBrandice Olivia ThompkinsTiana ThompsonMarques C. ThorntonJamal Towns Alicia Walker Laurielle WandlandRobert WarnsleyTraneice C. Washington

Tiona A’Shaunte Dominique WatkinsImani J. WeemsJoshua WhitePorchia M. WhiteLatiesha B WhitseyKyle WilliamsKiah Wilson Tazjere’ R. WilsonDamari O. WinfreyJasmine WitherspoonAmelia M. YarbroughJoseph YoungKokou M. Zikpi