Commitment Day at Medgar Evers College

Every spring, graduating high school students across the nation looking to go to the next level of higher education take part in National Decision Day, also known as College Signing Day or Commitment Day. This momentous event happens on May 1 and is the deadline for incoming college freshmen to commit to a school out of the institutions that offered them admission. This year, Commitment Day fell on a Monday. While much of what happens on Commitment Day is shared on social media, Medgar Evers College (MEC) went beyond the web and held its event in person, the second consecutive one following its inaugural launch last year.

In 2022, 75 freshmen registered. This year saw an uptick to 155 freshmen committing to MEC. Among the organizations with representatives manning tables to alert students about available resources were the MEC Athletic Department, CHAMPSS, ASAP and the Transition Academy. Last year, FYP, AAC, and the Women’s Academy were on hand to help with this passage into higher education.

This year’s Commitment Day proved to be a family affair for incoming freshman Fanya Cayard who is getting ready to graduate from nearby Clara Barton High School for Health Professions. Excited to continue be enrolling in MEC’s pre-nursing program, Cayard was joined by mom Favelle Norde, herself a Class of ’98 MEC alum who received her Bachelor’s in Education and is currently teaching in the New York City Public School system. For the proud mom, she’s thrilled for her daughter to be earning her degree at an institution of higher learning that’s undergone a number of upgrades since Norde graduated.

“Since I went here, two new buildings have been constructed,” she said. “I love the idea that my daughter is going to be able to get a better quality education with more materials and more academic help.”