Graduates from Virginia State University (VSU) have thanked their supporters in the most creative way, taking a moment to dance along to a fire remix of a gospel favorite by singer-songwriter Marvin Sapp.
On May 23, graduates of the HBCU quickly got down to a version of Sapp’s “Never Would Have Made It” which played over the speakers. A short video captures them as they clap their hands and shout to the song.
The video was posted to the university’s official Instagram page on the same day to celebrate the graduating class. The video gained more than 250,000 views on the HBCU Alum Facebook page.
In the comments, many praised the dance moves and saluted the university. One person said VSU was their favorite Black university.
“Everybody say their HBCU is the best, but VSU is really the one,” the comment read.
Another person praised their alma mater.
“The BEST!!!! I love my VSU,” the comment read alongside two heart emojis, blue and orange, the university’s colors.
“AAAYYYEEEEE,” another person wrote with multiple fire emojis.
The university also posted a video of graduates on the field dancing to the remixed song as the commencement’s sign language interpreter enthusiastically signed through the song.
“Shout Out to the liveliest Sign Language Interpreter during today's Commencement Ceremony… Sis understood the assignment! #HailState ,” the caption read on Instagram.
“Sign language lady was littttttt,” one commenter wrote.
Another person agreed with the video’s caption.
"Yasss ma’am! GO AWF!! Assignment Completed,” the comment read with multiple emojis.
Sapp’s song, which is featured on his 2007 album titled Thirsty, has been a favorite for many gospel fans. The song’s remix, however, became widely popular in 2019 when the internet delighted itself in a dance challenge, otherwise known as the "Never Would Have Made It Challenge."
In the viral remix of the original song, the first line is repeated on a loop as Sapp sings, “Never would have…”
The graduation ceremony, which followed guidelines with socially distanced seats, was the university’s first in-person commencement since Dec. 2019. Not only did it celebrate 2021 grads, but also those of previous graduations from the fall and spring of 2020 who were not given the traditional commencement due to COVID-19 restrictions, WRIC reported.
VSU Graduates the stage is set and the seats are socially distanced.
The VSU Community is honored to celebrate the resilient Class of 2020 and 2021 this Sunday, May 23, at 9am at Rogers Stadium. #HailState
#VSU20
#VSU21 ???????????? pic.twitter.com/u8PFBjjGJj— VirginiaStateUniversity (@VSU_1882) May 21, 2021
Angela Rye, an attorney and political activist, was the comment speaker.
“As America sits at the significant crossroads of another opportunity to choose whom she will become,” Rye said in her speech. “She’s had so many opportunities to make a different and more constructive decision toward a more perfect union, and you all sit in a tremendous seat of power to help her make that decision.”
President of the university, Dr. Makola Abdullah, said each graduate was a VSU point of pride.
“It doesn’t matter how long it took you to achieve this goal. What matters is you hung in there, and now you can say, ‘We made it,'” she said.
In total, VSU honored 700 graduates including the seven who received their doctoral degrees. One of those seven was Benjamin Crump, the acclaimed attorney who famously represented the family of George Floyd.
