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Multicultural Graduations
The Multicultural Center collaborates with numerous departments, in addition to cultural and ethnic student groups, to coordinate culturally-based graduation ceremonies that complement the University’s commencement celebrations. These cultural celebrations acknowledge the value and uniqueness of underrepresented student experiences and serves to commemorate and highlight the accomplishments of individuals within a familial and cultural context.
*** Please note that registration will automatically close once we reach our capacity of 150 students. After receiving your registration we will contact you to confirm your attendance and give you further details about the event.***
Multicultural Graduations FAQ
When and where are the Multicultural Graduations?
People of Nia
Date/time/location will be posted by February 2020!
La Raza
Date/time/location will be posted by February 2020!
Multicultural Stole: At this time, there is not a specific ceremony for students who register for a multicultural stole.
Who can participate in the Multicultural Graduations?
Any UNT student (undergraduate or graduate) who will be graduating in Spring 2020 can participate. We provide stoles for the following groups:
- Multicultural Stoles – Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian, Multiracial identities, etc.
- Kente Stoles (People of Nia) – African, African American, Black identities
- Serape Stoles (La Raza) – Hispanic/Latinx identities
Do I need to fill out an application/register to participate?
Yes! The registration form serves to inform the graduation committees who to include in their programs, how many students to expect, etc. While we would like to provide a stole and celebrate every graduating senior, stoles are limited so please apply early!
Where can I find a registration form?
Spring registration information can be found below!
Do I still need to apply for graduation with the Registrar’s Office?
Yes. This is NOT an application for graduation. It is an application for identity based graduation ceremonies that complement the University’s commencement celebrations.
How many guests may I invite?
As many as you like!
What does it cost?
What does it cost? Nothing! It is FREE for you, your family, and friends.
What if I am graduating in the Fall?
While the Multicultural Center only hosts identity based graduation ceremonies during the Spring semester, those graduating in December can still purchase a stole at: https://www.midwestglobalgroup.com/
There are a variety of options for purchasing stoles and students are not required to use the same vendor as the MC.
Who can I speak to if I have questions?
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 940.565.3424 or email multicultural@unt.edu.
People of Nia
The People of Nia Celebration was created by the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA) and Black Student Alliance (BSA) at Iowa State University in 1997. As a proactive strategy, the organizations decided to focus on targeted student profiles that were not only surviving at the institution, but were doing well academically and were on track to graduate. They felt it was crucial to restore the pride, heritage, and sense of purpose that their ancestry passed on to them throughout history. As a result, the Black students named the ceremony Nia, which is the fifth principle of Kwanzaa, which means “purpose.” With the assistance of student leaders from organizations like the Progressive Black Student Organization and the NAACP the People of Nia celebrations have been occurring on UNT’s campus since 2012. The Multicultural Center is the official sponsor of all Multicultural ceremonies on campus.
Registration information for Spring 2020 will be posted in February 2020!
La Raza
La Raza Graduation is a graduation celebration that features traditions of the Latino culture. The ceremony includes various Latino cultural elements and graduates are given the opportunity to publicly thank individuals who have helped them throughout their educational career. La Raza Graduation is a chance for friends and family to join students in celebrating their success at navigating the challenges of college in the spirit of Latino culture.
La Raza Graduation Celebration was originally created by Latino students, staff, and faculty at University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1973. It was a proactive strategy to restore pride, heritage, and sense of purpose to Latino students.
Today, La Raza Graduation has spread to many campuses. At the University of North Texas (UNT), the first-ever Raza Graduation occurred in 2012. It was organized by a small group of committed individuals from a student organization called MUEVE who formed partnerships with faculty, students, and staff to organize the event. The Multicultural Center has adopted the graduation as part of their yearly programming and works directly with a student led planning committee.
Registration information for Spring 2020 will be posted in February 2020!
Multicultural Stole
Multicultural stoles are for identity groups not listed above and can include but are not limited to: Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian, multiracial identities, etc.
At this time, there is not a specific ceremony for students who register for a multicultural stole. Instead, we will contact you with information about picking up your stole.
Registration information for Spring 2020 will be posted in February 2020!