Top photo: Justin Young, assistant director for Office of Undergraduate Studies, Advising Services, speaks to a student at Senior Fest, Oct. 22, 2026, at the Wayne A. I. Frederick Undergraduate Library. Photo credit: Simone Boyd/Howard University

For Howard University seniors, Commencement is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. To help ensure students are on track to celebrate that milestone without administrative hurdles or oversights standing in their way, the Office of Undergraduate Studies Advising Services hosted its inaugural Spring 2027 Senior Fest Oct. 21-22 in the Wayne A. I. Frederick Undergraduate Library (UGL).  

“Graduation Preparation Starts Here” served as the event's tagline. The event provided seniors with answers, resources, and support as their graduation approaches. Seniors could review their graduation requirements, address outstanding concerns surrounding class requirements and financial obligations, and assess their status as they move toward the final steps in the degree-completion process. 

Dr. Loida McDuffie, director of the Office of Undergraduate Studies, Advising Services, said one of Senior Fest’s primary goals was to help students avoid last-minute surprises that could prevent graduation. 

“We are encouraging seniors to start solving those problems now,” said McDuffie. “If they have an incomplete, they can solve it now. If they have a missing grade or they are missing transfer credits, they can solve it now before spring comes.” 

Representatives from all of Howard’s schools and colleges offered information and one-on-one time. Staff from from the Office of the Registar, the Office of the Bursar, and more also participated. 

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“Everyone who has something to do with graduation was present and participated,” said McDuffie. 

Senior Fest also featured the launch of a University-wide Spring 2027 Undergraduate Commencement Guide, which McDuffie said contains everything seniors need to know regarding graduation. The guide is available through a QR code. 

Rallying Around Students 

Justin Young, assistant director for the Office of Undergraduate Studies, Advising Services,  said Senior Fest was about more than “preparing our students graduating in the spring and making sure they have all the criteria they need to graduate well before the deadline dates.” He said the presence of widespread institutional support rallying around the students was special. 

“We are all here and it’s just a great time where all the different entities of Howard University pull together and do the best we can for the students,” said Young. 

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Brandon Ash, academic coordinator for the College of Engineering and Architecture, said it was not only a time to go through all the checks and balances to confirm everything is in order, but also a time for celebrating student success thus far and what they are about to accomplish. 

“As advisors, we spend four years with these students,” said Ash. “We build relationships with them. They have challenges inside and outside the classroom, and we build bonds. It’s an opportunity for us to celebrate and think about the different challenges they have had and how they overcame them.” 

Ash said that as many families make graduation travel plans, it’s a good time for students to confirm their readiness and for families to get the reassurance they need. 

“They are checking to make sure you’re really graduating, and they’re booking flights. So, students come in and get that added verification,” said Ash. 

McDuffie said the process leading to Senior Fest started last year, when students using services from the Office of Undergraduate Studies received an audit so they would know where they stood in the graduation process, with the idea they had two semesters in front of them to iron out any issues.  

“That grew into other colleges and schools also giving their students audits, which is amazing,” said McDuffie. “That is going to impact our graduation rates. Then we took it up a notch. We decided to have a fair with all the stakeholders. When I mentioned it to the stakeholders I spoke with, they said absolutely.” 

Seniors Getting It Right 

A total of 367 seniors filed into the Undergraduate Library at a steady pace over the two days to meet with advisers, gather information, and reaffirm they were in good standing for graduation. That is a strong number of seniors, since Senior Fest was voluntary and competed with classes, work, and midday scheduling. Of the seniors who attended, 352 of them completed an advising session. 

“They want to get it right,” McDuffie said of the great turnout on both dates. “They want to participate in Commencement. They want to take care of things. They want to be empowered. It’s a different thing going into that final semester knowing that you are good.” 

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Roman Mills, a biology major and a member of Howard’s track and field team, said he came to Senior Fest because he had a class scheduling concern for spring semester. He travels with the team regularly and needs a schedule that keeps his weeks top-heavy with classes, allowing him to travel later in the week with the team. Mills said he believes an in-person event like Senior Fest is the most effective way of accomplishing what is necessary.  

“I needed to come out for assistance making my schedule,” said Mills. “It’s hard to reach advisors sometimes through email or virtually online. So, when I’m coming here in person, I’m getting an in-depth description of what I need to do and how I need to do it. I can get more clarity on everything that is happening.” 

Chemarie Irons, a computer science major, said she came to Senior Fest because she needed more information about the graduation process, especially since she is aiming to complete her requirements by the end of the current semester. 

“I applied for Commencement and want to know what my next steps are. I was informed I should come out and be guided on what’s required of me. Hopefully, I will get everything done.” 

Alexandra Nwameme, a criminology and political science double major, said her decision to come to Senior Fest was to make sure she was on track. She has concerns as a double-major and transfer student. 

“I was concerned about making sure I had the classes that matched up for both majors. Some majors will share classes. I think it gets confusing between what counts for one and what doesn’t count for others. That’s why I wanted to come and talk to both advisors. I feel like I’m in good shape.” 

A Great Herd of Senior Bison 

Ash said seniors came to Senior Fest more prepared for graduation than not. 

“We have a great class that’s graduating this year,” said Ash. “They have been studious and making sure they did their due diligence, checking off the boxes they need to check, taking the classes they need to take. They have also been instrumental in helping the underclassmen. We have a really strong class, a great herd of Bison that we are going to be letting out into the workforce and to graduate school.” 

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Young agreed that students who came to Senior Fest were largely already prepared. 

“I think that with the great work the Office of University Studies advising has been doing that they are prepared,” said Young. “This is like the icing on the top to make seniors feel comfortable. More holistically, we are not just advising them but seeing that they are crossing all the t’s and dotting the i’s as it concerns different entities on campus that help lead to their graduation.” 

Data Indicates Successful Event 

According to data compiled by the Office of Undergraduate Studies Advising Services through check-in systems and exit surveys, the first Senior Fest exceeded its goals. Among the findings:  

• Real gains in graduation clarity. Clarity about graduation next steps rose from 51% before the event to 83% after it. Students who arrived knowing the least gained the most, which means the event worked for the students it exists to serve. 

 • Answers delivered quickly. The median wait was about 15 minutes, and the median session lasted about 9 minutes – a strong standard for a walk-in event. Nine in 10 students were seen in under an hour.  

• A celebration that resonated. Seventy-eight percent of survey respondents felt celebrated quite a bit or a great deal. Students described feeling "on track to graduate on time" and getting "immediate answers." The senior graduation guide also made an impression, with one student noting they had never seen a comprehensive senior guide at Howard before.  

• Recognition for the team. Respondents named advising and the Graduation and Commencement Guide as the most valuable part of their visit. The staffing model and location logistics held up under peak demand. 

Senior Fest’s success guarantees it will continue in the future. 

“We want to be able to do this every year,” McDuffie said, “because I don’t think we celebrate enough. It’s important to stop and celebrate the students and let them know that we see them and give them that last push of encouragement. They deserve that.”