WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — After Howard University’s class of 2024 was honored at a graduation ceremony at Capital One Arena Saturday, the College of Nursing and Allied Health Services got some special recognition.
“We apologize for the events you endured this week, but we stand here to salute you," said Howard's president, Dr. Ben Vinson III during Saturday's commencement.
It was a three-hour ceremony for the largest graduating class in school history.
“After Thursday, I did not think I was going to walk, and it was a terrible experience," said Justice Hodges, a graduate of the college of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences.
Earlier in the week, he was set to walk across the stage and receive his diploma at a ceremony on campus, like most of his fellow graduates.
“Three minutes into it there was a fight already on the other side, the inside. It was total chaos in there," said Mylove Tetterton, Hodges' mother who came in from New Jersey.
She said she saw people banging and kicking on the doors of the auditorium to get in and graduates walking off the stage when they noticed their family members didn't make it inside.
“I think they said the fire department shut it down, because they know they were probably going to tear that place up," said Tetterton.
She thought she may never see her son receive any diploma.
“No, I didn’t think so, because of COVID, his high school graduation. He missed it," said Tetterton.
“I told you Thursday night that you were unstoppable, did I not?” said Dean Gina Spivey Brown at Saturday's ceremony. “We prepared so many students of excellence, you all, that there was an overwhelming support of family, friends and loved ones. They wanted to get in so bad that they were breaking down the doors, because that’s what we do at Howard.”
After Thursday's ceremony was abruptly canceled, Brown came up with a plan B, allowing all 280 graduates of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences take the big stage.
"She said okay, after commencement, we’re going to give you your degrees and all of your awards and we’re going to let you guys walk," said Hodges. “I feel very happy, I feel like our voices were heard and we were accommodated well. I thank Howard for that.”
Tetterton is thankful she could stick around.
“We stayed a little bit longer, but they showed them that extra support and sympathy for the other day, so I was happy about it," she said.