On May 6, the senior class of ‘23 will have graduate and move on to the next chapter of becoming alumni of Langston University. Graduation is a significant milestone in a graduating senior’s academic career, but after finishing coursework requirements, completing internships, and remaining committed to graduating, some students still face the reality of ineligibility for graduation. Graduating seniors are under a strict timeline to pay off bills before March 1st. They have to pay off tuition bills to reach a zero balance before they are able to participate in the commencement and have their name included in the graduation program. Even with scholarships, student loans and grants, some of which will not received before March 1, students still have financial difficulties resulting in degrees being postponed by unpaid tuition fees and earlier payment requests than normal.
One particular difficulty is that some scholarships and financial aid students depends on do not arrive for students before the March 1st deadline. Graduating senior Kalynn Gray, a corrections major, plans to attend the police academy and work her way up after graduation. Gray believes that Langston can prepare students for life after graduation if they take advantage of every opportunity handed their way. That said, “The March 1st deadline is kind of tricky because I’m rushing to make sure that I’m doing my best to have my bill paid off earlier than usual,” said Gray.
On February 15th, a senior class meeting was held. In this meeting the topics of deadlines and qualifications for graduation were discussed. Students were given a deadline of October 17th to submit for approval status for graduation. According to the office of the registrar administrator Jeanese Outlaw, “January 31st was the extended date; if you turned it in after the date of the original date in October then your letter is waiting as well.”
Graduating senior Amari Brown, a criminal justice and corrections major, came to college because her parents didn’t attend college and at a young age she was always motivated to do what they didn’t get the chance to do. Brown has plans to attend graduate school in Virginia and receive more credits in criminal justice.
“Langston has prepared me for anything, whether that be struggle or success,” said Brown. “I feel that it makes it harder for graduating seniors with bills that waited their whole life to walk across the stage but can’t because they didn’t have time or a chance to pay their bill.” Students are left to question if they will make the deadline for graduation. Whether or not students have enough time between the February 15th class meeting and the March 1st bill deadline is the rising issue.
Jonah Fabian, a senior broadcast journalism major, came to Langston after being accepted for a McCabe honors scholarship. He chose Langston because he wanted to experience something different from high school and step in a unique path. Fabian says, “The deadline is terrible for us seniors because they won’t send out our acceptance for graduation until the week before. It is annoying not knowing.”
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