‘We love you’: Southern University honors late student Caleb Wilson during emotional commencement ceremony
TheGrio...
More than 600 students were honored during Thursday and Friday’s ceremonies. But the tribute to Wilson and another fallen Jaguar brought all the emotions out.
Southern University‘s spring commencement ceremony was held on Friday, but the one student everyone inside the F.G. Clark Activity Center cheered for was sadly not there.
As Caleb Wilson’s name was read aloud inside the ceremony, the audience erupted in cheers for the late Southern student, who died in 2025 following a hazing incident involving members of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. Five individuals connected to Wilson’s death have been charged.
Wilson’s mother and sister walked in his place to receive his degree. He was set to graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering. After an emotional moment of silence, those in attendance remembered Wilson as “a beloved member of Jaguar Nation whose presence we continue to miss deeply.”
In February, the university confirmed it would honor Wilson with his posthumous degree, announcing the news on the first anniversary of his death.
“Today, Southern University and A&M College pauses to remember Caleb Wilson, a beloved member of the Jaguar Nation whose presence we continue to miss deeply,” the university wrote in a statement. “Caleb’s vibrant personality, warm spirit, and steady determination left a lasting impression on classmates, professors, and friends.”
“On this one-year anniversary of his passing, we remember not only the loss of Caleb, but his life, which was filled with joy and meaningful connection,” the statement continued. “We continue to hold his family especially close in our thoughts. Caleb’s spirit will always live on and remain a cherished, impactful part of Southern University.”
Southern also honored Kavon Barnhill, a student who died in December in a car accident. His mother was on hand to receive his posthumous degree, speaking highly of how Southern handled the ceremony and honored her son.
“It was beautiful. I think that everything from start to finish, it was just absolutely beautiful. They did a fantastic job,” Barnhill’s mother, Charnae Thompson, told WAFB.
According to the school, more than 600 students graduated from the university through both undergraduate and graduate programs for the Spring commencement.