By Anthony Miles—
The 26th annual “Salute to Graduates of African Heritage,” will take place on April 27th from 4pm to 6pm in Multipurpose Room B located in GSUB.
The event formerly called the “Salute to Black Graduates” was renamed to “encompass the entire African diaspora,” says Amani Jennings, Dean of Students at NJCU.
Amani, who is also president of B.A.A.F.S.S.O (Black Administrators Alumni Faculty Students and Staff Organization) and an NJCU graduate, participated in the salute in 1997.
Leah Jackson, academic advisor and member of B.A.A.F.S.S.O. will be there to co-chair the event. She says that renaming the event was probably done to “be more inclusive. Not every [student] identifies as black, others identify as Caribbean or are of African descent.”
Janelle Thompson and Avron Isaac will be awarded at the ceremony for having the highest GPA among undergraduate students. Danielle Mohammed and Kerri Hennessy will be awarded for having the highest GPA among graduate students.
Jennings suggests, “[the salute] is essentially a mini graduation.”
He added that working in the dean’s office; his job does not always entail congratulating students on their academic achievements. He also admits that “the retention rate among minorities is not very high,” but was very confident that number could get better.
The theme of this year’s salute, “Poised for Progress, Creating a Circle of Success,” was taken from President Obama’s 2010 State of The Union Address. Jackson encourages students to, “Get [their] education and begin to work in the community. Be encouraged and be inspired. It’s what we call the never-ending circle of success.”
Amani urges students “not to just take your degree and disappear. Go out and do something with it.”
Each year, the salute recognizes a person for their help and strong cultural leadership. This year, President Hernandez will be honored.
“He is a huge supporter of B.A.A.F.S.S.O and attends every salute,” says Jennings.
Jackson adds, “This is a special case because of his retirement this year. [Hernandez] is very instrumental in B.A.A.F.S.S.O and a leader in regards to cultural diversity, and is always encouraging students of color to be the best.”
Andrew Platizky, director of the Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), will be there to receive the Community Service Award at this year’s ceremony for going above and beyond the call of service.
LeDerick Horne, an NJCU graduate, has been asked to be the keynote speaker this year. According to Jennings, this is the first time a former student has been given the privilege to speak before the graduates. Horne is a poet, entrepreneur, and advocate who routinely talks in schools all over the country. His website, lederick.com, details that “his message addresses increasing confidence, academic performance, self-determination, and self-advocacy by challenging conventional teaching styles and asking his audience to look beyond negative labels.”
LeDerick is also the board chair of Project Eye to Eye, a non-profit program that mentors young students with learning disabilities and ADHD.
Jennings revealed that this program has become an institutional tradition and suggested that in “a place where the issue is that we don’t have too many things that are tradition, the ‘salute’ is one thing that is.”
He insists that, “Students look forward to it, are aware of it, know about it, and want to partake in it.”
