Affinity Graduations: A Mosaic of Educational Achievement
What is an affinity graduation?
Affinity college graduations are a meaningful way for institutions of higher education to value, honor, and celebrate the educational journeys and perseverance of their students. Affinity graduations inspire people of all backgrounds to envision themselves as future students and successful graduates and are of particular importance to communities of students who have historically been denied access to higher education because of who they are. A college or university may create space to celebrate the graduation of Asian American, Black, Latino, Native American, or disabled students, or those who are the first in their family to graduate college, women, Jewish, former foster youth, or identified with any other community. Open to all students, these graduations demonstrate an institution’s commitment to equal educational opportunity and desire to remove barriers limiting students’ attainment based on who they are.