Franklin and Marshall College holds identity-based graduations
As the end of the academic year approaches, Franklin and Marshall College (F&M) is hosting a series of graduation events based on students’ race, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
The school recently held a Lavender Graduation for LGBT-identifying students, as well as a Black Graduation.
As the end of the academic year approaches, Franklin and Marshall College (F&M) is hosting a series of graduation events based on students’ race, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
This spring, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based school will offer at least four additional commencement events or ceremonies. According to emails obtained by Campus Reform, F&M will host a Black Graduation Celebration, a Lavender Graduation for LGBT-identifying students, and two culturally-specific graduation breakfasts for African American and Latino students, respectively.
The Black Graduation Celebration, hosted by the Black Student Union, was held on April 18 from 5–6 p.m. According to an internal email obtained by Campus Reform from the Director of Campus Community and Belonging, Christian Perr, the program was described as a time to celebrate “resilience” and “legacy” — with students receiving cords and gift baskets to mark their racial identity.
The ceremony would uplift “the experiences, resilience, and excellence of Black students,” according to the message.
Likewise, the college will hold two race-based breakfast ceremonies on May 10: the African American Alumni Council (AAAC) Graduation Breakfast and the Asociación Latino para Movimiento Alumnal (ALMA) Breakfast.
An email obtained by Campus Reform from Associate Director of Alumni Engagement Jenn Gallagher states that both events will run simultaneously the same day, with the AAAC event honoring “African, African American, and Caribbean” students, and ALMA honoring “Hispanic, Latino and Latinx” students.
On April 6, F&M also hosted a Lavender Graduation, a ceremony explicitly for LGBT-identifying students.
[RELATED: University of Nevada hosts multiple segregated graduations]
Based upon an email from Diosanny Rivera-Placido, the event recognizes “resiliency” and gives students a space to honor their “allies and supporters.”
An Instagram post from Franklin & Marshall’s Alice Drum Women’s Center indicates that Michael Bright, chaplain at Gettysburg College, was the keynote speaker for the event. Gettysburg College was recently the subject of a complaint to the Trump administration filed by Young America’s Foundation alleging that the institution engaged in race-based admissions policies contrary to federal civil rights law.
Campus Reform has contacted Franklin and Marshall College for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.