Fall Commencement • December 19, 2020

While our traditional commencement may look a little different this fall, we are pleased to announce our plans to offer an in-person ceremony for our graduates and faculty on December 19, 2020. This celebration will include December 2020 degree candidates as well as graduates from the May and August 2020 classes who have indicated their interest to participate in this ceremony.
 
While details are being finalized, we want to share general information with you that will help you as you plan for graduation. Great care is being taken to provide an experience that is meaningful and reflective of the significance of our students’ academic accomplishments but that also adheres to local and state guidelines as well as protects the health and safety of participants.  But we are committed to celebrating this significant milestone in a way that is meaningful, memorable and as close to a traditional ceremony as possible. And it is our hope that conditions surrounding the virus will allow us to proceed with our plans. 
 
We will hold two graduation ceremonies on December 19 that will allow us the ability to safely distance participants in the program. Planning is underway on those ceremonies including the time and determining who will participate in each. The ceremonies will take place in Allen Arena.   
 
While the ceremonies will be on campus, due to the additional health and safety risks that could be created by bringing in hundreds of guests from across the country, the ceremonies will be limited to graduates and faculty representatives in attendance. We know this is an important day for our graduates and one that is typically celebrated with family and friends — and we are disappointed to have to restrict attendance to this event. But we are hopeful as we approach December 19 that this precaution, as well as conditions on campus and in our state at that time, will allow us to proceed with our plan to offer this version of an in-person ceremony for our graduates and faculty. 
 
The ceremonies will be streamed live for family and friends to view and celebrate your accomplishments and will be available for viewing later. Although family and friends will not be able to be physically present for the ceremonies, we encourage graduates to find creative ways to celebrate this significant moment together — and perhaps find a time to view the ceremony together with friends and family. Our Class of 2020 graduates have been tenacious and have thrived in an historic time in higher education and have persevered to complete their degrees, and we hope you will take time to celebrate with those you have walked with you on this journey. 
 
In the next few weeks additional details will be released. Please check back often for updated information.