Livingstone College Fall Convocation & Pinning Ceramony Recap

SALISBURY, N.C. — On Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, the campus of Livingstone College was booming with Blue Bear energy, love, pride, faith and hope.

The morning began with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Salisbury community and city leaders marching into Varick Auditorium for the college’s Fall 2026 Convocation. The program showcased many talents and treasures, including greetings from Dr. Anthony J. Davis, president and CEO, and the College’s Board of Trustees; performances by the Livingstone College Concert and Gospel Choirs and Liberian drummers; and the first official lecture of Visiting Scholar in Residence Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, whose topics centered on Black excellence, higher education and HBCUs.

The Convocation was notably special as the college formally welcomed and pinned its most historic, academically competitive class to the Blue Bear family. Five hundred and five first-year students were inducted, including 182 Anthony J. Davis Presidential Scholars. The ceremony also included the installation of Livingstone’s Student Government Association President, Andrew Foster V, and his cabinet, whose administration runs on the theme of F.A.M.I.L.Y. (Foundation, Authenticity, Motivation, Impact, Liveness, Yielding Results). Livingstonians displayed a spirit of togetherness as they passionately participated in Convocation rituals.

The celebration continued at the Convocation Luncheon, where Dyson discussed his first impression of Livingstone, why he accepted the invitation to serve as a Visiting Scholar in Residence, and his plans for transforming the lives of the chosen Dyson Fellows.

“Livingstone College has always felt like family,” Dyson added. “There is something valuable and important about coming to an HBCU and doing this unapologetically for marginalized students. I’m just like the students here. It’s good to be home.”

Taking a social justice, student-centered approach, Dyson described his intention to learn from his scholars as much as he teaches. He aims to challenge them intellectually and instill in them the importance of thinking critically about the bigotry they’ve been taught. This will ultimately prepare them to become change agents for the global community.

Dyson emphasized that he’s going to have honest and straightforward conversations with his students. “I’m going to spit what I know is true.”

That Friday morning signified the college’s transformation from simply surviving to soaring and scaling.

Livingstone College is not just a premier institution for learning. It is a cornerstone of democracy, a place where students acquire wisdom on the holy grounds of their ancestors.