By T’Neil Gooden
The students of Brooklyn College (BC) are getting ready to say au revoir, as the month filled with goodbyes has arrived. The Women’s Center (WC) hosted its annual graduation cap decorating event in the 227 Ingersoll Extension on May 6.
Students were greeted with stencils, flowers, colorful paper, glitter, and butterflies to leave their mark and creativity on the caps accompanying them as they take their final steps across the graduation stage. As the students decorated, they spoke about the community they have built at BC.
“Just seeing all the seniors come together and make their little caps with their friends. It’s such a cute little community thing. I love it. I love it. It’s so cute,” Amber Prophete, program coordinator at WC and master’s student at BC, told The Vanguard.
Students used this cap decorating to recognize that they have truly made a mark on their time at BC.
“I’ve been waiting four years for this. So it’s just nice. It feels all real now. And I get to make it my own,” Cierra Bowles-Louis, staff of WC and graduating senior, told The Vanguard.
The students spoke not only about the community, but they also reminisced on the time that they had spent while studying at BC.
“Before becoming a program coordinator [at WC], I worked here as a federal work-study student, and we had this same event, making my grad cap with my friends, and it was just so fun,” Prophete told The Vanguard. “We were making [grad caps] with each other and helping each other come up with slogans, and we got Brooklyn College shirts. Later, we decided to put on the Brooklyn College shirt and take pictures together. It was a really fun day.”
While remembering the days before graduation, students spoke about how this event will become a staple in their memory for the rest of their lives.
“Seeing these students come together and just their unique ideas and how they come up with, you know, ways to decorate their caps and the meanings behind them and what’s inspiring them. It’s just so nice to see. So wholesome,” Rabia Khalid, Muslim Women’s Leadership Development Project (MWLDP) program coordinator and master’s student, told The Vanguard.
Students recollected on the importance of community and engagement when going to a commuter school, where community can be difficult to find.
“These events bring us all together, along with bringing all the other graduates together. We could talk and meet each other, also network; we could interact with other graduating seniors. It’s just nice to feel a part of a place,” Bowles-Louis said.
The staff of WC wanted to get these resources to students to continue to grow to promote long-lasting connections amongst the BC student network.
“We wanted students to do something with their friends that revolves inside the school instead of having to do this outside,” Prophete told The Vanguard. “Instead of having to spend, you know, lots of money on caps, we were able to provide these things for [students], and they could just do it together for free. That’s always a plus, and just having a bonding and vibe moment in between their classes.”
Students at the event sent a message to the graduating class of 2025 and shared their hopes for their future.
“Be strong, but be you, and it’s 2025. There’s so much happening, there are so many changes, and everything. Nothing’s gonna stay the same. Even you are not gonna stay the same, so just go with the flow,” Khalid said.
This was not the only message students had for 2025 graduates; students had more notes that they wanted each other to hear.
“Don’t look back. Your life’s just starting. You have so much time. And don’t feel pressured that you don’t have time. It’s okay to still be figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life. It’s very normal,” Bowles-Louis said.
WC wants students to remember that these events are meant for them, and they are free to express their needs to the team. The cap decorating event will continue to occur as students continue to request it.
Prophete told The Vanguard, “Our first priority is what the students usually like to do. And we have a surplus of them coming all the time. So this event is an ongoing thing that we’re going to try to keep doing.”
Students who are interested in more events like this can get more information about The Women’s Center on their Instagram, @womenscenterbc.