Donning of the Kente
2024 Donning of the Kente Registration
Ceremony: Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 | 12pm EST
Location: Ceremony at Moss Arts Center
The first Cultural Achievement Ceremony at Virginia Tech, the Donning of the Kente began in 2013 as a celebration of African American heritage. It has continued to grow, with over 500 students in attendance in 2022. The ceremony outside of Tech has a rich history, with the American tradition dating back to the 20th century, and the Kente cloth dating back centuries. At this ceremony, students adorn the graduation robe with Ghanaian Kente cloth and gather with family, friends, and colleagues to celebrate undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. Graduates will also receive stoles, which can be worn at the University’s commencement ceremony.
Reception: Immediately following in Commonwealth Ballroom, Squires Student Center
Meet Michael Goode
Michael Goode is a 2006 Virginia Tech graduate. He received his bachelor of science degree in Business Information Technology with a concentration in Decision Support Systems. While a student, Michael was a founding member of the Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) and served as its 2nd president. Michael also served as the Student Government Association (SGA) Director of Community Outreach, represented SGA on the Commission on Equal Opportunity and Diversity, and chaired the 2006 committee to select the Undergraduate Representative to the Board of Visitors as the Black Student Alliance representative to the Commission on Student Affairs.
Following graduation, Michael spent 16 years leading cyber governance, information security, and risk management consulting engagements for U.S government and commercial clients. Later in his career, he pursued a passion for all things wine and in 2018 started Hedon State, a wine experience and education company. Hedon State seeks to make wine more approachable for all who seek to engage. While on the journey to building the wine experience and education business, Michael also accepted the challenge of becoming a winemaker. In 2021, he along with fellow Virginia Tech alum, Levi Daniels, started Hedon State Wines where Michael now serves as Managing Partner. At Hedon State, we focus on making approachable Virginia wines that appeal to a broad spectrum of tastes.
2023 Donning of the Kente
2022 Donning of the Kente
History of Donning of the Kente
The Donning of the Kente is a pre-commencement graduation celebration held yearly at colleges and high schools around the United States where participating graduates, typically of African descent, are adorned with academic stoles made of Kente cloth. Afterwards, the students can wear the Kente stole over their robes during the traditional graduation commencement.
During the ceremony, participating students are sometimes marched to the stage in an African-drum led procession, often followed by a stage performance of traditional Ghanaian dance. A keynote speaker will then address the audience, noting the significance of the occasion and recognizing the hurdles overcome by the graduating students. Finally, each graduate is announced one after another, their academic major and any special achievements highlighted before being donned with a Kente graduation stole by a special guest of their choice. After all graduates have received their Kente stoles, final remarks are delivered by a keynote speaker, and the ceremony closes with students lining out in a procession. Donning of the Kente ceremonies are typically followed by a reception for students, staff, and guests.
The wearing of Kente cloth as a graduation stole goes back to 1993, when faculty at West Chester University wanted to honor the specific challenges overcome by their African-American students. The tradition has since spread to colleges and high schools around the country, with thousands of students donning Kente stoles every year at their graduation ceremonies.