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Class of '24 Graduates Depart to Serve Following Spring Commencement Exercises

commencement 24

Three hundred forty seven Bethune-Cookman University seniors turned their tassels to signal their transition from students to alumni during the university’s 83rd commencement exercises, held Saturday May 4 in the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center.

Acting President and Provost Dr. William Berry addressed the graduating class, saying, “You are forever connected to Bethune-Cookman University and the legacy of our founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, as you serve communities across the United States and the world with the intelligence of the head, the compassion of the heart, and the hard work of the hand.”


Berry-McGregor

B-CU Acting President and Provost Dr. William Berry presented BeyGOOD Foundation Executive Director Ivy McGregor with an honorary doctorate during the Spring 2024 commencement exercises.


During the ceremony, BeyGOOD Foundation Executive Director Ivy McGregor received an honorary doctorate, the university’s highest honor. She went on to address the class of 2024 in her keynote address, saying that in this year’s graduates, “I see anticipation for what’s next. I see celebration for what was. I see stories that will be remembered for a lifetime. … I see forever friendships. I see sisterhood bonds and brotherhood bonds. I see hope for today and promise for tomorrow. I see answers to world problems, to social ills, injustices and disparities. I see changemakers and history breakers … I see each of you as your founder’s hope and dream fulfilled.”

Indeed, the graduates of the Class of 2024 are poised to seek their own solutions, advocate for opportunities for all citizens to improve their quality of life, and inculcate global perspectives and realities to people worldwide – just as the vision of the university lays out.

Henson White

Graduates like Henson White, one of the university’s youngest-ever graduates at 18, who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications with a concentration in digital broadcast production, are ready to take up that charge. White has completed several internships while in Wildcat Country, including a paid summer internship at WESH 2 News. He has worked with B-CU’s athletics department providing commentary and calling games on CatEye Network and has held positions with industry giants ESPN, Disney, and the National Association of Black Journalists. He will pursue his graduate education at Full Sail University.

Jacksonville native Desiraí Monic Carr, who will be joining White at Full Sail as she continues her educational journey, is another shining example of the talent in this class. She also graduated summa cum laude, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications with an emphasis in public relations/advertising and a 3.94 overall grade point average. While on campus, Carr served on the marketing committee for National Association of Black Journalists, as a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, editor and marketing for the VOW (Wildcat Newspaper), marketing committee for McLeod Magazine, served as SGA Senator year 2022-2023, and an honorary member/public relations for Reel Motion Society.

Desiraí Monic Carr

To all of the members of the class of 2024, McGregor charged, “As you enter into the world with intentions to use what you’ve learned and to build upon it as you make an indelible impact wherever your feet shall land."

View the Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony