ALANA Celebration
ALANA is a celebration of success for ALANA – African / African American / Black; Latino / Latina / Hispanic; Asian / Pacific Islander; Native American / Indigenous / First nation – students. This event culminates with the presentation of traditional Ghanaian Kente cloth graduation stoles. The Kente stole signifies students’ “rite of passage” and the commencing of their leadership in the world. Graduates will wear the Kente stoles at their respective university graduations. This is a proud moment for our students and their loved ones. We look forward to seeing the next class of students collect their stoles and proudly represent their excellence.
Class of 2026 ALANA Celebration and Kente Stole Presentation
- Saturday, May 16, 2026
- 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- The Marketplace
- Parking in Lots 5 & 6
Celebrating diversity & excellence
UMass Dartmouth celebrates African/Black, Latin/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Native American/Indigenous graduates of color. Read about how our ALANA students discovered their pathway to success through community engagement, leadership roles, networking opportunities, & real-world experience.
Working at a camp for children and teens with diabetes impacted her career goals
Computer science major reflects on his UMassD experience, including an internship at technology company Honeywell
Double major, student-athlete, and campus leader succeeds on and off the field
First-generation and independent student finds community and support system at UMassD
Senior English major and philosophy minor in the College of Arts and Sciences
First-generation college student has excelled in academics and leadership and is grateful for the "village" of supporters who played a role in her success
Networking & pursuing professional development + leadership opportunities helped prepare Cachelle for her full-time position as a project/program management analyst at Dell EMC.
Melanie, a computer engineering major, says real-world experience, collaborative research projects, & extracurricular activities prepared her for her full-time position as an analyst with Dell EMC.
Blending community service work, networking, and exposure to big business is part of Larain’s strategy for inventing her future as an entrepreneur.
Abderahmane Naidjate '21, who graduates next month with his BS in Computer Engineering, talks about how UMassD has fostered his career path and helped him segue into a full-time position as a project/program manager at Dell EMC.
Joshua supplements his studies with military service, real-world experience, and community engagement to prepare for his future as a software engineer.
Faculty mentors, community service work, and a Dell EMC workshop help Spencer find the confidence to pursue a bright future.