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HBCU virtual ceremonies kick off graduation season for 2020 seniors
Here’s a list of schools’ commencement plans to honor graduates

This graduation season will be like no other because of the coronavirus impact on America’s college campuses.
Several historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are holding virtual commencements in lieu of the events that draw families, friends and alumni to their campuses. Some universities rescheduled actual graduations in the late fall or winter of 2020 or in the spring of 2021.
Alcorn State, Alabama A&M and Alabama State held their virtual commencement ceremonies last weekend. Among the universities that have announced they will hold virtual graduations are Howard, Florida A&M, Prairie View A&M, Delaware State and Maryland Eastern Shore. Prairie View A&M and Howard will hold their virtual graduations on May 9. Morgan State is hosting a Virtual Recognition Ceremony on May 16.
“The Commencement Steering Committee selected this because we know that the Panther Nation will emerge from these challenging times even more resilient and determined to continue the legacies of our great university,” said James A. Wilson, Prairie View A&M’s commencement chairman. The university’s Class of 2020 includes more than 900 graduates.
Howard’s virtual graduation is the same day the normal graduation ceremonies and commencement would have taken place. The university said it plans to hold a physical graduation for the 2020 seniors May 9, 2021, over Mother’s Day weekend.
North Carolina Central postponed its commencement and plans to mail diplomas to graduating seniors. North Carolina A&T State says it plans to reschedule ceremonies for sometime this summer.
Some universities, such as Coppin State, Clark Atlanta and Mississippi Valley State, are still finalizing alternative plans.
“While we understand that this is certainly disappointing for our students, we’re looking forward to celebrating with our graduates and their family and friends, hopefully later this year,” said Mississippi Valley State president Jerryl Briggs.
The school said its plans to celebrate the spring 2020 graduates will be announced later.
HBCU graduations and commencements
- Alabama A&M University
- Alabama State University
- Albany State University
- Alcorn State University
- Allen University
- American Baptist College
- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
- Arkansas Baptist College
- Barber-Scotia College
- Benedict College
- Bennett College
- Bethune-Cookman University
- Bishop State Community College
- Bluefield State College
- Bowie State University
- Carver College
- Central State University
- Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science
- Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
- Claflin University
- Clark Atlanta University
- Clinton College
- Coahoma Community College
- Coppin State University
- Delaware State University
- Denmark Technical College
- Dillard University
- Edward Waters College
- Elizabeth City State University
- Fayetteville State University
- Fisk University
- Florida A&M University
- Florida Memorial University
- Fort Valley State University
- Grambling State University
- Hampton University
- Harris-Stowe State University
- Hood Theological
- Howard University
- Huston-Tillotson University
- Jackson State University
- Jarvis Christian College
- Johnson C. Smith University
- Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary
- Kentucky State University
- Knoxville College
- Lane College
- Langston University
- Lawson State Community College
- LeMoyne-Owen College
- Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
- Lincoln University
- Livingstone College
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- Miles College
- Mississippi Valley State University
- Morehouse College
- Morehouse School of Medicine
- Morgan State University
- Morris Brown College
- Morris College
- Norfolk State University
- North Carolina A&T State University
- North Carolina Central University
- Oakwood University
- Paine College
- Paul Quinn College
- Payne Theological
- Philander Smith College
- Prairie View A&M University
- Rust College
- Savannah State University
- Selma University
- Shaw University
- Shorter College
- Simmons College of Kentucky
- South Carolina State University
- Southern University at New Orleans
- Southern University at Shreveport
- Southern University and A&M College
- Southwestern Christian College
- Spelman College
- St. Augustine’s University
- Stillman College
- Talladega College
- Tennessee State University
- Texas College
- Texas Southern University
- Tougaloo College
- Tuskegee University
- University of the Virgin Islands
- Virginia State University
- Virginia Union University
- Virginia University of Lynchburg
- Voorhees College
- West Virginia State University
- Wilberforce University
- Wiley College
- Winston-Salem State University
- Xavier University of Louisiana