Kelly Rowland put on her cap and gown and marched down to Union Square in New York City to help motivate students during the Boys & Girls Club back-to-school season kick-off event. Earlier in the day, the 30-year-old singer appeared on the “Today” show to speak about her involvement with the organization, her new album Here I Am, and deal with Sean John.

Kelly shared that she was able to carve out her own niche with her latest solo project, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. “For this album, I didn’t want to put myself in a box,” she told hosts Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford. “I just really felt on this record, it was a defining moment for me in the studio.”

In other exciting news, the Destiny’s Child alum has been named spokeswoman for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ new female fragrance Sean John Empress. “It just really celebrates a woman being unique and powerful and beautiful in her own right, and celebrating all our idiosyncrasies,” she explained.