May 25, 2025
Students across diverse communities are finding new ways to keep their graduation traditions afloat.
Black students and other affinity groups are finding new ways to celebrate their graduations as the Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI initiatives limits their on-campus engagement.
For years, affinity-specific graduations have highlighted the milestones for many students across universities. However, current government orders have stifled these celebrations, forcing graduates to pivot in order to keep tradition alive.
Some institutions, like Harvard University, are pushing back against certain rulings on federally-funded universities. However, these issuances have still impacted race-specific programming. Harvard decided to strip funding used for all affinity group graduations. Despite this setback, Black Harvard graduates remain determined to keep the event in place.
Like others in support of these racially-affirming events, many graduates say they celebrated the cultural traditions while acknowledging their plights. Harvard senior Elyse Martin-Smith took matters upon herself. With the support of the Black Graduate Student Alliance and the Harvard Black Alumni Society, she and fellow graduates held their ceremony off campus.
“It’s an undue burden that continues to be placed upon Black students to create the change that we want to see,” Martin-Smith said to CNN.
Students at other schools like the University of Kentucky have faced similar restrictions. A spokesperson for the university confirmed that the optional celebrations will not longer take place on campus.
“Following a number of federal and state policy changes and directives, the university will no longer host identity-based or special-interest graduation celebrations,” university spokesperson Jay Blanton said in a statement. “In the past, these were held outside of our official commencement ceremonies as optional celebrations and social events. We will continue to comply with the law, while celebrating all students and their distinctive achievements at our official commencement ceremonies.”
However, students attempting to work around the rules must take caution with naming for their newly reimagined events. Students at Kentucky also pursued a path similar to Harvard’s Black graduates, calling their version a “Senior Salute.”
“I feel it’s important to show that there are people coming from other places, underprivileged areas and many different backgrounds and struggles and still making it over to UK (University of Kentucky) and still getting their degree,” shared UK graduate, Kristopher Washington, who helped bring the new event into fruition. “It’s a tremendous achievement.”
This anti-DEI crackdown not only impacts graduates of different racial or ethnic identities. It only applies to those part of the LGBTQIA+ community as well. Queer students also found off-campus venues to celebrate their achievements for their overarching community.
Now, students must move forward despite the lack of school administration approval and resources. However, they remain committed to celebrating their new degrees in ways that specifically acknowledge their heritage and community.
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