Grey skies and a forecast of impending rain did not stop Howard University’s Class of 2026 from doing one final “Long Walk” across The Yard during the university’s 158th Commencement convocation May 9. The brightness of the futures of Howard's newest alumni lit the day just like sunlight through a cloudless sky. 

The university conferred more than 3,100 degrees to its newest class of graduates during Mother’s Day weekend, with many moms in attendance cheering on their graduating loved ones.

‘The Bison Way of Life’

Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick (B.S. ’92, M.D. ’94, MBA ’11), Howard’s interim president, president emeritus, and Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery, shared words of reflection and congratulations to the 2026 graduates, which included two 71-year-olds and fourteen 19-year-olds.

“As I look out at the class, I see more than just the students in caps and gowns,” Frederick said. “I see the dreams of families fulfilled. I see sacrifices made in quiet moments and I see prayers answered.” 

He continued: “To the class of 2026, today represents one of the most significant milestones. For many of you, your journey at Howard University began with the walk of knowledge, that symbolic first step into the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual experience that defines this institution. It was your introduction into the Bison way of life, one of excellence, truth, and service, and today, you return to The Yard for this symbolic walk that so many have taken. You’ve grown not only as scholars but also as leaders. You are a testament to resilience, sacrifice, and the life-changing power of education. Within this class, the stories remind us that the possibilities have no limits.”

As a nod to the large number of women who comprise this year’s graduating class, Frederick also shared that he hopes to be “the last man to give this welcome address as president, and the next time you gather here, a woman will be the first woman to greet you and confer your degrees.” 

In this year's stellar class, 198 graduates have a 4.0 grade point average. The geographically diverse makeup of the class includes graduates from 41 nations and 47 states. First-generation students make up 17% of the class and 47% were undergraduate Pell grant recipients. Among the graduates, 134 were veterans.

2026 graduate Joshua Taylor, a supply chain management major from Houston, Texas, also delivered remarks, taking a moment to recognize the two Howard students who passed away days before they were set to graduate, Sollomon Buckhanon Crowder and Dr. Jimisha Relerford. After the somber moment, he referenced the many lessons he’s learned as a Bison.

“The biggest thing that Howard University has done for us is expand our thinking,” said Taylor. “A lot us came here wondering if Howard was even the right school for us or whether we belonged here; how we’re going get this internship, how we’re going to get this position we want, or how we’re expected to make any sort of significant impact on this campus when it seems like everybody here is already the greatest and the best at whatever it is that they’re doing. Somehow, someway, not only did we survive, we thrived.”

He also pointed out the many graduates who were influential and impactful leaders such as Brooklynn Tucker, Karson Smith, Ashton Brown, Zoe Cummings, and Jadyn Decuir. He also reminded his fellow graduates of the key takeaways they should keep in mind as they move forward in their future academic and professional pursuits. 

“Howard has taught us not to watch from the sidelines,” he declared. “We belong in all of these spaces. There’s no room that exists that we can’t operate and excel in; not an award too prestigious, a stage too big, or a job too highly coveted that we don’t deserve to pursue, and that’s not arrogance speaking. That is a result of excellence and people [surrounding] me that have forced me and pushed me to think and be bigger.”

More than a Ceremony

The 158th Commencement ceremony also include additional honorary degree conferrals to Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Rosalind G. Brewer, Spelman College interim president and board chair emerita; Robert Iger, immediate past CEO of The Walt Disney Company; the late Rev. Richard L. Smallwood (B.A. ’71, M.Div. ’04); and Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi (B.A. ’73), president emeritus and Distinguished University Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy who was Howard’s first provost and chief academic officer. 

Leslie D. Hale (BBA ’94), chair of Howard’s Board of Trustees, imparted words of wisdom to the Class of 2026, saying that Commencement is more than a ceremony — it’s a threshold. 

“Today is not nearly an ending, it is a commission,” Hale said. “A moment where preparation yields to responsibility. When promise matures into purpose. And today, that moment belongs to you, the Class of 2026. When you arrived at Howard, you came in pursuit of an education. What you received was far, far more. From your first ‘Long Walk’ across this yard, to the final walk today at Commencement, you inherited a legacy. Howard was founded on a radical conviction that education placed in the hands of those too often denied it could shape the conscious of a nation.”

Washington D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser’s delivered a keynote address underscoring how “Howard’s history and D.C.’s history are inextricably linked,” and outlined the university’s contributions to the city and the world. She also highlighted prolific Howard alums who were previous mayors of D.C., including Sharon Pratt (B.A. ’65, J.D. ’68) and Adrian Fenty (J.D. ’96). In addition to her recognition of the university’s economic contributions to the city, Bowser also emphasized the charge that the 2026 graduates are tasked with as they move on to the next chapter of their lives. 

“One hundred fifty-nine years from your founding, Howard’s job and the charge of its graduates is more important than ever,” she urged. “Yes, to educating Black teachers, ministers, and doctors, and yes to being a wedge between democracy, autocracy, and the accelerator for Black excellence for more Black people everywhere. That’s your charge, class of 2026, and I know you’re more than ready for it.”