As the 2026 academic year draws to a close, Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts prepares to celebrate a new cohort of graduates — artists, scholars, and cultural practitioners shaped by a shared commitment to craft, community, and impact. Across Theatre Arts, Music, and Art, their journeys reflect not only artistic development, but personal transformation grounded in discipline, collaboration, and a growing sense of purpose.  

Within the College, growth is rarely confined to a single lane. Students are encouraged to move across disciplines, test ideas in real time, and build relationships that extend beyond the classroom. The result is not just technical proficiency, but a clearer understanding of voice, vocation, and responsibility.  

Three graduating seniors — one from each department — reflect the depth of talent within the College, even as they represent just a small cross-section of a much broader community of excellence. 

Dillon Debourg, Music  - Business Major, Classical Piano Minor 

When Dillon Debourg arrived at Howard, he was, in his words, “a happy kid from Freeport, New York eager to just be a pianist.” What changed most over four years was not just his skillset, but his mindset.  

“Being at Howard around a plethora of creatives … has pushed me to want to be better in every aspect of life, mentally, physically, creatively and spiritually,” he reflected. That shift expanded his sense of what a career in music could look like — one that blends performance, business, and leadership.  

That expansion came into focus through a range of experiences: student music directing productions within the Department of Theatre Arts, studying abroad in Spain and France, co-directing a student-led music showcase, and participating in the university’s inaugural Business Anthropology for the Arts course. Each opportunity pushed Debourg to connect disciplines and think beyond a single role, reinforcing his ability to operate across multiple sectors of the industry.  

His senior recital brought those threads together in a single moment. Entirely self-produced, the performance featured collaborators from across the university and moved fluidly across genres. “This was the perfect culmination of all the things I love: God, my family and friends and music,” Debourg said. “This moment … reminded me what it’s all about. Having fun and making beautiful memories.” Now preparing to pursue a master’s degree in Music Business from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Debourg leaves Howard “standing confident, closer with God … and creating works across many different sectors of the field.”  

That growth was reinforced by a network of mentors who helped shape both his artistry and professional outlook. He credits his piano instructor, Professor Natalia Kazaryan, as “an absolute blessing,” noting that she not only advanced his technical ability but also connected him to real-world experience through her performing arts organization, Counterpoint Concerts. Through her guidance, Debourg developed both as a pianist and as a professional.  

He also pointed to Professor Autumn McDonald, who “taught me the importance of never diminishing the important work we do as Afro-descendent individuals,” while opening doors to anthropological research and industry insight. Under the mentorship of Professor Damien Sneed, Debourg gained exposure to the full scope of the profession — traveling internationally, performing, and observing what it means to operate at the highest level across disciplines. He also acknowledges Department Chair Carroll V. Dashiell Jr., whose counsel and experience helped him understand how to move with integrity and intention within the field. 

Chimdinma Okonkwo, Art  - Art Major: Painting Concentration  

Chimdinma Okonkwo’s journey at Howard is defined by a movement from uncertainty to clarity. “Before my arrival at Howard, I was a more anxious and unsure person,” she shared. “Now I am more certain about my future… and more at peace with myself and with God.” That sense of grounding came through both academic exploration and personal reflection.  

A defining turning point emerged during her Art History internship within the College, where she was introduced to the field of art conservation. After shadowing a conservator, the path forward became clear. “When she said that art conservation was an intersection between history, science, and art; I was like, ‘This is probably the job for me,’” said Okonkwo. That moment shifted her trajectory, connecting her creative practice to a broader role in preserving cultural heritage.  

Her time at Howard has also been shaped by service and community engagement. Through Alternative Spring Break in Albany, Georgia, her leadership as the HU Community Choir Community Service Co-chair, and initiatives like Hugs & Prayers and Words of Encouragement, Okonkwo contributed to building spaces of care and connection. Rooted in her faith, she described learning that “by giving everything to Him, I could find peace.” As she prepares to pursue professional experience and eventually graduate study in art conservation, Okonkwo leaves with both direction and a sense of purpose anchored in service.  

Okonkwo’s path has been shaped in large part by faculty who saw her potential and helped refine it. She credits Professor Mark Bartley for consistently pushing her to elevate her work, noting that “his lessons in fabrication and refinement always pushed me to do better and to go above and beyond.” She also highlights Dr. Melanee Harvey, who guided her through her Art History internship and introduced her to the field of art conservation. Under Dr. Harvey’s mentorship, Okonkwo gained both technical skills and a clearer sense of direction, ultimately leading her toward the career path she now intends to pursue. 

Jaden Madgett, Theatre Arts – Acting Major 

For Jaden Madgett, reflection begins with a simple realization: how much can change in four years. “When I first arrived at Howard, I thought I had everything figured out,” he said. “Now … I truly appreciate the everyday moments I once took for granted.” That shift — from focusing on outcomes to valuing process — has reshaped both his artistry and his perspective.  

That evolution was tested and affirmed through the creation of his one-man show with the Young Playwrights Theatre. For Madgett, the process required stepping fully into authorship, pushing beyond the idea phase and into execution. “This experience … was the proof that I can do the work required to build something fully realized from the ground up,” he reflected. The moment carried both weight and levity — “When I stepped off that stage at Busboys and Poets, my first thought was about how cold the fries I ordered had gotten” — before giving way to a deeper sense of gratitude for his growth as a multidisciplinary artist.  

Throughout his time at Howard, Madgett has built community through performance, contributing to productions while forming relationships that extend beyond the stage. As he prepares to enter the professional theatre world, he does so grounded in what Howard has provided: “the tools, discipline, and support system needed to keep growing and creating,” and a deeper appreciation for each moment and opportunity ahead.  
 
Madgett is quick to emphasize that his growth has been shaped by a wide circle of mentors and collaborators. He points first to Dean Emeritus Phylicia Rashad, whose artistry and leadership influenced his decision to attend Howard and whose support “opened doors and inspired us all.” Madgett also credits Nikkole Salter for challenging him to think more deeply about storytelling, noting that her approach to devised work reshaped his understanding of acting as a tool for building worlds and creating change. Beyond faculty, he highlights the importance of peer collaboration, naming fellow artist and friend Everett Judd as someone whose talent and partnership embodied “the sense of family that Howard fosters.” Together, these relationships helped define not only his craft, but his sense of community within it. 

Across disciplines, these three graduates share a common trajectory: each arrived with a defined sense of self, and each leaves with a broader understanding of what their work can be. They have learned to move between practice and purpose, to collaborate across boundaries, and to root their artistry in something deeper than individual ambition.  

Taken together, their stories reflect the caliber of artists, scholars, and cultural leaders emerging from the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts —individuals prepared not only to contribute to their fields, but to shape them with intention, discipline, and care. This is where artistry meets legacy.