2024 Howard Graduates Declared as Class of ‘Courage’

This& post& was originally published on& The Washington Informer By Bousaina Ibrahim | The Washington Informer | Word In Black (WIB) – A rainy Saturday morning turned bright and sunny as more than 20,000 supportive friends, parents, and alumni filled Capital One Arena to celebrate the largest graduating class in Howard University history for the institution’s 156th commencement convocation.  While commencement exercises started earlier in the week, during the Saturday, May 11 ceremony, 2,839 graduating students were recognized for their resilience, growth, and determination.& Thasunda Brown Duckett, president and CEO at the& Teacher Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA), a leading provider of financial retirement services, served as commencement speaker. Duckett congratulated the graduating class on their successful milestone and reminded them that courage is woven into Howard’s history. “Students before you navigated wars and sit-ins and unrest and kept moving forward. So don’t get discouraged. You’re here in your beautiful regalia and your courage is shining through,” Duckett said. Thasunda Brown Duckett, president and CEO at the Teacher Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA), a leading provider of financial retirement services, served as the 2024 Howard University commencement speaker. (Ja’Mon Jackson/The Washington Informer) Duckett, who became the first Black woman to...