A Look Back at the Spring 2026 Semester with the Kearns Center’s Featured Photos

Spring 2026 flew by in a flash, but a few things stood out this semester: an increase in collaborations within the campus community and a major uptick in student engagement.

By
Alexa Olson
Published
May 26, 2026
A collage of polaroid-style images on a blue background with the words A look Back at Spring 2026 featured photos.

The semester was chock full of events and workshops and ended with one of the most well attended Senior Celebrations the Kearns Center has had, with over 200 people attending. Kearns College Programs hosted 26 total programs and saw the number of students signing in to use the center - more than double from the previous spring.

College programs also worked to forge new, or solidify existing, partnerships with student organizations and campus partners. Those partnerships were on full display during this semester’s series of eight Living Room Takeover events and the Kearns Center’s annual MANE Event held in February. With each Living Room Takeover, a campus office or student group came in to “take over” the Kearns Center for an afternoon, talking with students about the services they offer, or ways they could join their organization. The MANE Event, a natural hair care event, was hosted in collaboration with nine other student organizations. Near 100 students attended, up from around 40 the year prior.

On the pre-college side of things there were a lot of achievements worth celebrating, including many college acceptances for students in the Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search programs. The pre-college team is proud to congratulate their students, some of whom have committed to attending RIT, University of Rochester and St. John Fisher, to name a few.

Here is a look back at all the featured photos we posted on our website this semester, including a few more that were too good not to share!

January 2026

Springing into 2026

Students are back in the Kearns Center as the start of the 2026 Spring semester gets underway. Janai Hodges ’26, Princess Aniagboso ’26 and Ruth Ajiboye ’26 kick off the new year by stopping into the Kearns Center to chat with interim Director Dr. Antonio Williams, January 29, 2026.

Four people smiling at the camera holding up their fingers in peace sign.
Three students chat with interim Director Antonio Williams in the Kearns Center. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester

February 2026

Douglass Read-A-Thon

The David T. Kearns Center in collaboration with the Library’s Department of Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation, hosted the third annual Douglass Read-A-Thon on February 11, 2026, in the Plutzik Library. Students, faculty and staff signed up for time slots throughout the day to read aloud from the text.

A person sitting at a table in the library with bookshelves in the background.
A group of students and staff participate in the Kearns Center’s third annual Douglass Read-a-thon, a continuous, non-stop reading of Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester

Kearns Hosts 6th Annual MANE Event

Nearly 100 students turned out to attend the Kearns Center’s MANE Event, a natural hair care event held in February. Among those in attendance were (pictured left to right) Khia Williams, Janai Hodges, Alex Eggers and Austin Okoase. All four students are Program Assistants at the Kearns Center. February 19, 2026.

Four people smiling at the camera while standing side by side.
Kearns Center Program Assistants Khia Williams, Janai Hodges, Alex Eggers and Austin Okoase pose outside the May Room in Wilson Commons during the MANE Event. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester

Kearns Celebrates 40 Years of National TRIO Day

The Kearns Center’s National TRIO Day celebration had a unique focus this year, creating a space where current students and Kearns TRIO alumni could connect. Twenty-three high school students, 23 URochester college students and 24 alumni attended the event. The event, which was held inside the Hawkins-Carlson Room at Rush Rhees Library, was one of dozens across the country held in recognition of the 40th anniversary of National TRIO Day.

Four people wearing badges pose for the camera while standing shoulder to shoulder.
Four Kearns TRIO Alumni spoke on a panel about their experiences in their respective programs and how TRIO has impacted their lives. (Pictured left to right: Arianna Taylor, La’Ron White, OJ Shepard and Janelly Andrade-Gonzalez. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester
A headshot of three people smiling.
Pictured left to right: Jessica McCane poses with two first-year SSS Scholars, Arianna Carrion and Alanna Reyes during the 40thAnniversary of National TRIO Day, February 28, 2026. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester

March 2026

Kearns McNair Scholars Attend McNair Conference at University of Maryland

A group of 12 McNair scholars from the University of Rochester traveled to the University of Maryland to attend the annual National McNair Scholars and Undergraduate Research Conference, March 12-15, 2026.

Large group photo taken from a high angle.
A group of McNair Scholars pose for a photo at the McNair Conference in Maryland. Photo: Aaron Banks, University of Rochester

April 2026

Sunshine Vibes

Interim Director Dr. Antonio Williams and Kearns Center student employee Khia Williams both pose in the center wearing the color yellow, hoping to bring the sunshine vibes to a cold and cloudy month of April.

Two people pose for a photo while standing close together.
Khia Williams (left) and Antonio Williams (right) wearing yellow hoping to brighten up a gloomy spring day. April 23, 2026. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester
A close up on a tree in full pink bloom with a small bird perched on a branch.
A bird sits on a branch of the blossoming trees outside Dewey Hall on the University of Rochester Campus. April 30, 2026. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester

May 2026

Kearns Center Celebrates Class of 2026

More than 200 people packed the May Room for the Kearns Center’s Celebration of Graduates, May 4, 2026. Over 100 members of the Class of 2026 were recognized.

Two students in regalia pose in front of balloons.
McNair Scholar Emily DeVeyra (pictured left) and SSS Scholar Alyssa Cisneros (pictured right) pose in front of the balloon wall at the Kearns Celebration of Graduates. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester
A large group of students wearing regalia pose for a picture.
A group of graduates pose at the Kearns Celebration of Graduates. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester
Three people pose in front of a balloon wall.
Three students pose in front of the balloon wall at the Kearns Celebration of Graduates. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester

Special Shout Out to Kearns Center’s Graduating Student Employees

Kearns student workers Janai Hodges and Austin Okoase both graduated on Friday, May, 15, 2026. Both worked for several years at the front desk of the Kearns Center and were strong advocates for the center and its programs.

A collage of two images, each has a single person posing for a photo.
Hodges pictured left, throws her cap in the air on the Eastman Quad. Okoase pictured right, poses at the First-Generation Students and Families reception the day before graduation. Photo: Alexa Olson, University of Rochester