Holding back tears and sharing laughter, family, friends, faculty, and the EMU community came together in the MainStage Theater on Saturday to honor the perseverance, compassion, and determination of the Class of 2026 during the 11th annual Donning of the Kente Ceremony. The event recognized 49 graduates.
Hosted by Celeste Thomas, director of multicultural student services and CoachLink coach, and Micah Shristi, director of international student services, the ceremony featured a musical drum performance led by Makinto and his son, Joël Friebe-Makinto.
Since 2016, the ceremony has celebrated graduates who honor their African and international roots. Each receives a handwoven stole of kente cloth, a symbol of prestige in many African societies, or a satin sash featuring the flags of countries they feel connected to.
Sashes at Saturday’s ceremony bore the flags of Albania, Argentina, Barbados, Burkina Faso, the Cherokee Nation, China, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Honduras, Iceland, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Oromia, Palestine, Peru, Puerto Rico, Senegal, South Sudan, and Uruguay.
Class of 2026 graduates take part in Saturday’s Donning of the Kente Ceremony in EMU’s MainStage Theater.
Joël Friebe-Makinto (left) honors his father, Makinto. Celeste Thomas (right) welcomes attendees to the ceremony.
The ceremony celebrates achievement, encourages recipients to continue striving for excellence, and provides an intimate end-of-year experience. Each recipient selected a family member, friend, mentor, administrator, or faculty or staff member to place the stole or sash around their neck and offer remarks, sharing joyful and heartfelt stories and words of praise about each graduate.
Graduates wore the stoles and sashes at Commencement to honor their collective heritage and reflect on shared struggles and successes.
“Our hope is that they feel the support of their village,” Thomas said. “Additionally, we hope the ceremony signals the college’s desire to meet the needs of all its students.”
Micah Shristi honors a graduate during the ceremony.
Since 2016, the ceremony has celebrated graduates who honor their African and international roots.
Participants
The following graduates were recognized:
Makinto, a general theological certificate major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Mukarabe Makinto Inandava and Joël Friebe-Makinto.
“You’re a clear example of how, no matter your age or where you are in life, you can accomplish anything,” Friebe-Makinto told his father. “You are a continuous inspiration for me and someone I can always look to for guidance.”
Esdras Burgos, accounting and business administration major from Charlottesville, Virginia, was donned by M. Esther Showalter.
Arelys Martinez Fabian, a Spanish language & Hispanic studies and education (PreK–12) licensure from Winchester, Virginia, was donned by M. Esther Showalter.
Zazkia De la Vega, a marketing and business administration major from Cusco, Peru, was donned by M. Esther Showalter.
Ankita Adhikari, a computer science major from Pokhara, Nepal, was donned by Micah Shristi.
Donovan Arnason, a digital media, photography, and design major from Stafford, Virginia, was donned by Phyllis Braxton Arnason.
Elili Asefa, a nursing major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was donned by Baati Ayana.
Irais Barrera Pinzon, a political science, Spanish language and Hispanic studies major from Richmond, Virginia, was donned by Wendell Shank.
Mimi Bayongwa, a social work major from Riverdale, Maryland, was donned by Dia Mekonnen and Perpetue Kaimba.
Lemi Amanuel Bekele, a biochemistry major from Kansas City, Missouri, was donned by Micah Shristi.
Shristi recalled receiving an email from Bekele, who was waiting for his admissions decision in 2019. “He sent me the following email, and I quote: ‘Please answer me. To wait for your answer I am in the forest in a tree to get data and it’s too dark and cold,’” Shristi read aloud. “That same determination carried Lemi through his years at EMU.”
Jean Betancourt, a business administration major from Meridian, Mississippi, was donned by Angel Betancourt.
Nia Boyd, an art and writing studies major from Richmond, Virginia, was donned by Lenice Sudds.
Kylik Daquan Bradshaw, a liberal arts major from Crewe, Virginia, was donned by De’Andra Oliver, Te’Ahra Oliver, Theron Oliver, and Kayanna Bradshaw.
“Through every season, you have shown resilience, courage, and determination beyond your years,” Bradshaw’s mother said. “But your greatest gift has always been your heart, your love, your loyalty, and your strength. Even when you were challenged with difficulties, you never let it break you.”
Chase Comer, a political science and history major from Timberville, Virginia, was donned by Amy Miller.
Ruach Dhieu Ruach Deng, a computer science major from Bor, South Sudan, was donned by Micah Shristi.
Odesa Elezi, a nursing major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Luis Elezi.
Jasmin Escamilla Ruiz, a digital media, photography, and design major from Bluemont, Virginia, was donned by Irma Ruiz Ramirez.
LaToya Fernandez, an MA in restorative justice major from West Hartford, Connecticut, was donned by Lyric Bryant.
Genesis Figueroa, a political science, Spanish language and Hispanic studies major from Millersburg, Ohio, was donned by Mia Figueroa.
Leah Frankenfield, a psychology major from Moraga, California, was donned by Rachel Tusing.
Sofia Garcia Pini, an MA in restorative justice major from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was donned by Joe Cole.
Jamila Gaskins, an MA in conflict transformation major from Los Angeles, was donned by David Evans.
Emily Guin, a nursing major from Lovettsville, Virginia, was donned by Juan Guin.
Jacqueline Jackson, a nursing major from Staunton, Virginia, was donned by Jacqueline Badger-Jackson.
Jayda Lenae Jones, a social work major from Goodview, Virginia, was donned by Kim Jones.
Yohanna Kebede, a computer science major from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was donned by Haweni Tolosa.
Emae Klompenhouwer, a social work major from Newport News, Virginia, was donned by Remco Klompenhouwer.
Ramata Lam, a biomedicine major from Baltimore, was donned by Kaitlyn Upshaw.
Mallery Salemah McShine, an MA in restorative justice major from Fredericksburg, Virginia, was donned by LaToya Fernandez.
Dia Mekonnen, a social work and political science major from Silver Spring, Maryland, was donned by Deanna Reed.
Abraham Mekonnen, a computer science major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Noel Abeje.
Last summer, Mekonnen interned at Morgan Stanley in New York City. This summer, he is headed to Northern California, where he will work for Palo Alto Networks. “How many people can say they’re hopping from Wall Street to Silicon Valley at 23 years old?” his close friend Abeje said. “Here’s the thing about Abraham: when the rest of us go to a mall, we typically just shop. Abraham asks the storekeepers how much they made that week and whether they’d recommend entering the industry. He’s constantly studying the world, ambitious, resilient, and relentlessly curious.”
Fadi William Michael, a marketing major from Bethlehem, State of Palestine, was donned by Jim Leaman.
Diego Morales Torres, a computer science major from Ponce, Puerto Rico, was donned by Team Oosthuizen.
Zipola Nayituriki, a social work major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Mary Ann Zehr.
Tasia Ocaranza, an MA in education major from Staunton, Virginia, was donned by Kathy Evans.
Taylor Helenna Parker, a digital media, photography, and design major from Charlottesville, Virginia, was donned by Mikaela Brooks Fauver.
Royale M. Parker, a business administration and psychology major from San Bernardino County, California, was donned by Ruby Parker and Roy Parker.
Jennifer Perera, an MS in biomedicine major from Miami, was donned by Jose Perera.
Robyn Chardaé Pratt, an MA in education major from Newport News, Virginia, was donned by Sandra Pratt.
Sarah Prroj, a business administration major from Shkoder, Albania, was donned by Micah Shristi.
Sharon Salinas Morales, a restorative justice in education major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Andrew Claassen.
Jacob Sankara, an MA in conflict transformation major from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, was donned by Gloria Rhodes.
Roumany Sefin, a business administration and medical lab science major from Port Said, Egypt, was donned by Jim Leaman.
Zoe Seifu, a nursing major from Harrisonburg, was donned by Nati Seifu.
Anisa Yousef Sharhabeel, a business administration major from Rockingham, Virginia, was donned by Rita Tutu.
Shayleigh Michelle Sims, a biology and secondary education (6-12) licensure major from Palmyra, Virginia, was donned by Kathy Evans.
Emily Suarez Nunez, a nursing major from McGaheysville, Virginia, was donned by Silvana Nunez.
Guadalupe Tenorio Ramirez, an accounting and business administration major from Hopewell, Virginia, was donned by Lindy Backues.
Cheylan Ury, a psychology major from Staunton, Virginia, was donned by Shaion Ury.
Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus poses with Class of 2026 graduate Emily Suarez Nunez following the ceremony (left). Alumni returned to campus on Saturday to honor friends at the ceremony (right).
“We’ve laughed together, we’ve cried together,” Shristi said in his closing remarks. “What a beautiful space.”
The Donning of the Kente Ceremony is sponsored by Multicultural Student Services, International Student Services, and the Black Student Alliance.
Watch a video recording of the ceremony below!
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