Two Iowa State organizations are taking a step toward racial equality and support for minorities on campus by starting a program that honors African American students.

The Black Graduate Student Association has joined the Black Student Alliance to present “People of Nia,” a ceremony celebrating African American students, Friday at 6 p.m. in the foyer of the College of Design building.

Organizers say the program recognizes and unites black students at ISU.

“Nia is one of the seven principles of Kwaanza. It means purpose, and that is the reason for this ceremony. It was organized to help combat low retention rates here at ISU,” said Lynette Danley Heggins, co-chairwoman of the event.

The ceremony will feature many African-American rituals and authentic kente stoles flown in from Ghana.

George Jackson, assistant dean of the Graduate College, also will speak at the ceremony.

His speech, which touches on the significance of the black graduate, is titled “Equal Educational Opportunity: More Promise Than Progress.”

Members of both the BSA and the BGSA said they had been brainstorming ideas for expressing campuswide appreciation for African American students.

Heggins and Linda Williams, both graduate students in professional studies in education, and Donnell Bivens, undeclared graduate student, conducted a study of how black ISU students feel about their representation on campus.

“We found that there was much displeasure among the black students on campus. Not all, but the majority of them felt left out and this makes it hard for them to stay here,” Heggins said. “Many were transferring to other schools.”

She said the survey prompted the two groups to recognize black graduating students through the ceremony.

“We just wanted something to let them know that people supported them,” Heggins said. “The university has offered a lot of support for this program.”

She added that she hopes the ceremony will continue next year and that it will add other minorities on campus.

More than half of this semester’s 88 graduating black students are participating in the event.

“We are not trying to do something separate from the university. We are trying to make the African American students feel more included,” Heggins said of the graduation ceremony.