Reading Names at a College Commencement Ceremony

May 31, 2026

On May 19, I had the incredible honor of reading graduates' names at the Arts and Humanities graduation ceremony at the University of Maryland, College Park. On stage, the main thing on my mind was to get the names right tonally (with excitement and just the right amount of gravitas) and syllabically, to honor each student's achievements and the support and sacrifice of their friends and families, who watched on from the audience.

It was especially great to read the names of some of the students I'd taught in the past. They smiled or whispered "hello" as they handed me their name cards.

I could do this again and again.

Thank you to our Dean, Dr. Shonekan, and to our commencement speaker Jason Reynolds.

Congratulations to the class of 2026!