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This HBCU Just Had The Largest Graduating Class In Its History For Spring 2026 Commencement

For students and families gathered at Bowie State University on May 22, 2026, this year’s commencement ceremony was bigger than a graduation. It was a celebration of legacy and possibility unfolding in real time. According to a university press release, Bowie State honored 887 graduates during its Spring 2026 commencement ceremony, making it the largest graduating class in the university’s history. The historic class included 696 undergraduate students, 160 master’s degree recipients, and 31 doctoral graduates. Founded in 1865 as Maryland’s first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and one of the oldest HBCUs in the nation, the moment carried added weight. More than 160

‘Find a Way or Make a Way’: Congresswoman Nikema Williams Announces $250,000 in Campus Security Funding for CAU

By Laura Nwogu | The Atlanta Voice Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have faced a surge of threats across the country in recent years, resulting in lockdowns or closures and concerns among students, parents, faculty, and staff about their safety. On the heels of these threats, the latest of which happened in 2025 when terroristic threats against Georgia’s AUC campuses triggered a lockdown, Congresswoman Nikema Williams has secured $250,000 in funding forClark Atlanta University’s campus security. The funding will strengthen security measures on campus, enabling the Clark Atlanta University Police Department to upgrade technology, enhance communication systems, and expand initiatives

Student commencement boos are a sign of wider AI woes

By Angela Yang and Jared Perlo As companies race to weave AI into nearly every industry, some college students are responding with open hostility. At at least three college commencement ceremonies this month, graduates loudly booed invited speakers who praised AI. On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance addressed the incidents in a speech at the U.S. Air Force Academy, acknowledging the growing anti-AI sentiment. On at least five campuses, students have also formed anti-AI groups, gathering with peers to advocate for slowing the technology’s unchecked development. The pushback reflects a widening disconnect between business leaders’ optimism about AI and students’ anxieties over its

HBCU graduate gets student loans paid off by Lil’ Baby

An HBCU grad recently got the best graduation gift that she could ask for from rapper Lil’ Baby. The Atlanta-based rapper recently paid off the student loan balance of Spelman College student Janay Lesley, also known as Nay Speaks. Lesley is an aspiring rapper with 105,000 followers on Instagram. She posted about Lil’ Baby paying off her tuition on her Instagram account, which has gone viral and has been covered by BET and The Shade Room. “I was a graduating senior at Spelman College. I am now a Spelman alumni. Chat, we made it across the stage. I let Lil Baby and his team

Top Black Celebrities Inspire 2026 Graduates at HBCU Commencements

Numerous Black public figures took the stage this graduation season to restore hope in students. Key Takeaways Thirteen influential Black leaders and celebrities delivered or will deliver inspiring commencement speeches in 2026 across various HBCUs. Speakers like Queen Latifah, Ray Lewis, and Magic Johnson emphasized resilience, creativity, and community impact to graduates. Events highlighted renewed hope amid challenges to HBCU funding, celebrating student achievements and historic progress. The future looks a whole lot brighter for 2026 graduates after numerous public figures and celebrities committed to speaking at graduation commencement ceremonies across the country. With attacks on HBCU funding and curriculum shifts occurring

Ten Tuskegee University Class of 2026 Graduates Maintained a 4.0 GPA All Four Years

In a remarkable demonstration of sustained academic excellence, 10 members of Tuskegee University’s Class of 2026 achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average across all four years—a rare feat that underscores how Tuskegee’s Renaissance Era is demanding unflinching academic rigor while wrapping students in a deeply supportive network of faculty and staff determined to help them succeed. The distinguished graduates are:  Joi Kayla Axem, Kerri Danielle Barnes, Nilajah Nyota Buchanan, Yasmin Aleksandria Davis, Alaynah Eldridge, Darren Raymond Hall, Keevion Hardamon, Charniece Elliana Jones, Brooklyn Monae Macklin, and Leah D. Saunders. “Each of these students is a shining example of what

Kentucky State students file state lawsuit against law ushering in polytechnic mission

Filing the case in Franklin County Circuit Court last week, a group of anonymously identified students allege that Senate Bill 185 violates the Kentucky Constitution. The students argued that if the law is implemented, it could affect their programs of study at KSU. A group of KSU students, alumni and prospective students filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month also challenging SB 185. Earlier this year, the bill sped through the end of the General Assembly’s legislative session and was touted as a way to avoid closing the institution, which is Kentucky’s only public historically Black university. Among many requirements, the bill would pare down KSU’s

Fallen U.S. Army Capt. Antoine Marvin Lewis honored with new scholarship for HBCU students

The legacy of a fallen U.S. Army captain from south suburban Matteson will live on through a new scholarship. The family of Capt. Antoine Marvin Lewis is carrying forward his mission to support education. Lewis was among 157 people killed in a plane crash in Ethiopia in 2019. His family said he was in Africa to help establish an international commerce program for young men. Lewis had just gotten married the year before, and at the time had a 15-year-old son. “What I, as well as my niece, recognized when we lost Antoine is that we had to do something. Now, we

HBCU in Delaware shaping next generation of Army aviators with helicopter flying program

Courtesy of Delaware State University Sitting in the cockpit and operating the controls, Delaware State University students are taking off from Chandelle Airport in Dover as they work to become future Army aviators. “I’ve always been interested in military aviation,” sophomore Aaron Goines said. “I did research and found the program at Delaware State.” Goines is one of about 12 students enrolled in the Helicopter Flight Training Program, an Army scholarship that trains ROTC cadets to fly helicopters during college. DSU is the first Historically Black College and University to offer the four-year program, which has been at cruising altitude since

Alcorn State University Partners With Getty Images to Preserve Its Historical Archives

Alcorn State University in Mississippi has formed a new partnership with Getty Images to preserve its institutional archives featuring materials from throughout the HBCU’s 155-year history. “Alcorn State University’s legacy of educational excellence and impact establishes it as a powerful addition to the Getty Images HBCU Program,” said Cassandra Illidge, vice president of partnerships and HBCU Programs at Getty Images. “Together, we are expanding access to vital historical narratives and ensuring that the stories of Mississippi and beyond are preserved, elevated, and accessible for generations to come.” Through this partnership, Getty Images will mange the post-production costs to restore thousands

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