WASHINGTON - Howard University will hold its 156th Opening Convocation on Friday, September 15, 2023, at 11 a.m. in Cramton Auditorium. The event marks the official start of the academic year and welcomes new students to the University.  

This year's convocation speaker is Howard University's 18th President, Ben Vinson III, PhD. President Vinson is an accomplished higher education leader and historian of the African diaspora with a focus on Blacks in Latin America. He previously served in senior leadership roles at George Washington University and Johns Hopkins University before being appointed president of Howard University by unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees.  

The ceremony will also feature remarks from alumnus and chair of the Howard University Board of Trustees, Larry C. Morse, PhD. Classes will be suspended between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to allow students, faculty, and staff to attend the convocation.  

To officially welcome President Vinson to campus, all members of the Howard University community are encouraged to attend the Opening Convocation and the Howard University Community Cookout following convocation. The cookout will be held on the Upper Quadrangle-Main Yard from 12:15 – 3:00 p.m. and is sponsored by the Office of the President, Office of Human Resources, Faculty Senate, Howard University Staff Organization, Howard University Student Association, Association of the Howard University Retirees, and the Howard University Alumni Association. Supervisors are asked to arrange for their staff to attend.

As a reminder, please adhere to the University's bag policy to ensure the safety of all attendees.

For more information about the 156th Opening Convocation, please visit the Howard University website.  

Featured Image: Howard University’s 18th President, Ben Vinson III, PhD 
 

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Media Contact: Simone Boyd; simone.boyd@howard.edu   

About Howard University 

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced two Schwarzman Scholars, four Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American PhD. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.