ALANA Celebration

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Center for the Arts
Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/VbWNpaTs6xk

Guests and Graduates requiring accommodations:
If you or a guest need special accommodations, please email us. We’d be happy to meet with you to determine your needs. On the day of the celebration, you can visit the Guest Services kiosk in the Center for the Arts for assistance.

As this is not a degree conferral ceremony, no academic regalia is to be worn, and business attire is required.

The Kente stole is given to students who participate in UB’s ALANA celebration, which historically has honored graduating African, Latino/a, Asian, and Native American students.

Co-sponsored by: Office of Inclusive Excellence, Office of Alumni Engagement, and Cora P. Maloney Center

Welcome —  Kevin Ahuna, PhD, Director, Intercultural and Diversity Center

National Anthem — Lift Every Voice, UB Gospel Choir

Step Troupe Performance, UB Step Troupe

Official Welcome and President Introduction —  Brian Hamluk, EdD, Vice President for Student Life

University Greeting —  Satish K. Tripathi, PhD, University President

LASA Performance

Student Speaker —  Trebor Entzminger, Class of 2026

Student Speaker — Tina Treherne, Class of 2026

Student Speaker —  Karen Guerra-Quijada, Class of 2026

FASA Performance

Introduction of Keynote Speaker —  Tomás Aguirre, EdD, Dean of Students

Keynote Speaker —  Iman Lathan, PhD

Presentation of Graduates —  Derrick Gunter, Education Opportunity Program and Danielle Johnson, PhD, Daniel Ackers Program

Recognition of Graduates —   Jacqueline Hollins, PhD,  Associate Vice Provost for Student Success and Academic Support and Shanna Crump-Owens, Director of the Collegiate Science and Technology Enrichment Program

Final Remarks —  Kevin Ahuna, PhD, Director Intercultural and Diversity Center

Iman Lathan is a PhD graduate of the University at Buffalo's Graduate School of Education and a Southern California native. She is a 2025 National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellow, a distinction that recognizes the significance and rigor of her research. As a former Division I collegiate basketball athlete, her personal and professional experiences in higher education and collegiate athletics deeply inform her interdisciplinary research at the intersections of Black feminism, athletic capitalism, media studies, and higher education. 

Her dissertation, The Secondary Diaspora: Black Women in NCAA Division I Basketball, lays the foundation for a broader research agenda and forthcoming book project, as it weaves together theory, oral histories, and archival research to interrogate the entanglements of identity, capitalism, and educational pathways among athletes across diverse sporting contexts. Lathan's work not only centers Black women's voices in sport but also contributes to broader discourses on racial and gendered capitalism, representation, and educational equity. Her research has implications for media practices, policy reform in college athletics, and the support systems designed for student-athletes. 

Beyond her research, Lathan is committed to mentorship, public scholarship, and expanding access to critical conversations within and beyond academia. She is passionate about supporting students navigating non-linear educational pathways and creating spaces where they feel seen, valued, and empowered, while also naming and interrogating the hypocrisies and layered histories of the institutions we call home.

Trebor Entzminger, a South Carolina native of African American and German heritage, is graduating with a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Claflin University, a nationally recognized HBCU, where his passion for community, education, and culture was strengthened—values he has continued to carry with him throughout his graduate experience.

During Trebor's time as a graduate student, he has balanced his academic pursuits with meaningful leadership roles, serving as a Graduate Intern for the Intercultural and Diversity Center and as an Engineering Fellow. Additionally, Trebor is an active member of the Lambda Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and has also been engaged with the Phi Epsilon Chapter since arriving at the University at Buffalo.

Known for his vibrant and engaging personality, Trebor brings energy and intention to every space he enters. Beyond academics and leadership, he enjoys sports, music, and spending time in nature.

Tina Treherne is a proud African American and Jamaican woman from Brownsville, Brooklyn, in New York City. She is graduating with a Master’s degree in Criminology and is committed to pursuing law school, where she plans to become a criminal justice attorney advocating for juveniles. Her work is grounded in a deep commitment to supporting at-risk youth while expanding fair opportunities for those too often impacted by inequities in the justice system.

Throughout her graduate experience, Tina serves as a Graduate Intern for the Intercultural Diversity Center where she fosters inclusion while building meaningful connections across campus. She is also the sole Graduate Ambassador for the Master’s in Criminology program in the college of Arts & Sciences where she guided prospective students through the application process for graduate school. In addition, she works as a Student Success Coach with City Year Buffalo, where she supports young students from 5th-8th grade in their academic growth and personal development in the classroom. Lastly, Tina also serves as the Graduate Advisor for the National Black Pre-Law Student Association where she mentors aspiring pre-law students. 

Tina earned her Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Sociology, with a minor in Counseling. As a first-generation college and graduate student, she carries her journey with purpose as she uses her experiences to uplift others. She remains deeply committed to advocacy, mentorship, and creating spaces where underrepresented students feel inspired to thrive. At the celebration, she will be giving a speech on her journey at UB and what it means to be PROUD.

Karen Guerra-Quijada (she/her) is a first-generation Salvadoran American and Pre-Physician Associate student graduating with a baccalaureate degree in Public Health. She serves as President of the Pre-Physician Assistant Society, where she mentors and supports aspiring healthcare professionals.  Karen also worked with the Intercultural and Diversity Center (IDC) as a Diversity Advocate, promoting inclusion and fostering supportive spaces for students of all backgrounds, while also gaining experience as a medical assistant, advocating for women’s health throughout her undergraduate career.

She is passionate about advocating for marginalized communities, with a focus on the Hispanic/Latino community, and advancing health equity through culturally responsive, patient-centered care. With experience in clinical care, health education, leadership, and community engagement, she strives to help bridge the gap between healthcare and underserved populations. Following graduation, she plans to apply to Physician Associate programs and continue working toward a career dedicated to reducing healthcare disparities and improving access to inclusive care.

Dear ALANA Graduates:

It is my honor to extend my sincere congratulations to you and to acknowledge those in attendance at this celebration who have supported you on this journey. We are all here to celebrate with you and commend the dedication that brought you to this time and place.

As you embrace the sense of accomplishment that you have earned through your hard work and commitment to your education, I encourage you to reflect on the personal connections you have made with your peers, mentors, professors, and other members of the university community. You have made an impact on them and on UB that will last far beyond this commencement weekend. It is my hope that your experiences as a UB student will be a source of strength and pride throughout your lifetime.

This ALANA Celebration is a tribute to you! It is a time to be proud. It is a moment to be joyful. It is an opportunity to be grateful for the people who helped you to reach this important milestone. It is also a chance to start thinking of ways to nurture and support the next generation of ALANA graduates, including but not limited to younger members of your biological and chosen families. Those who follow will need you to help guide them on their journey, and your individual achievement shines even brighter when used to light that path. Once again, congratulations, and best wishes as you move forward.

Sincerely Yours,

Kevin Ahuna, PhD
Director, Intercultural and Diversity Center

Even if you're not able to attend the ALANA celebration, you can still make a difference! Consider volunteering or making a donation to help make this milestone event even more special. Your support means the world! 

Intercultural and Diversity Center (IDC) serves dual purposes. It provides a welcoming space for students, and coordinates educational programs and cultural events aimed to broaden student perspectives and promote inclusion, equity, and social justice. For more information visit buffalo.edu/studentlife/diversity.

The Cora P. Maloney Center (CPMC) was chartered in 1976. The CPMC is a unique college at the University at Buffalo focusing on a range of educational issues including academic achievement and enhancement, social justice, and cross-cultural awareness. CPMC fosters the interconnectivity between UB students and their living and learning community, providing a transformative undergraduate experience that supports growth in Buffalo and Western New York. For more information visit buffalo.edu/cpmc.

The Office of the Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence is responsible for coordinating and monitoring UB’s efforts to institutionalize the culture of equity and inclusion university-wide, which is critical for providing the learning and working environment necessary for achieving excellence in today’s highly globalized and rapidly changing world. We collaborate with academic and administrative offices to create strategies that empower members of the campus community — whether faculty, students or staff— to achieve their full potential, unburdened by barriers to advancement based on stereotypes and bias. We promote equity, inclusion and diversity and integrate inclusive excellence into all aspects of university operations. And we foster community relationships and engagement to further develop relationships with prospective students, alumni, donors and other friends of the university. For more information visit buffalo.edu/inclusion.

The Office of Alumni Engagement creates and promotes lifelong bonds with University at Buffalo graduates, and works to inspire them to care about the past, present, and future of the university. Together with our alumni, they help UB take its place among America’s great public universities. For more information visit buffalo.edu/alumni/about-us.