Commencement
Tune into the College’s Facebook or YouTube page on Saturday, May 16 at 10 a.m. to celebrate the Class of 2020. The Office of Marketing and Communications has created a video, which will air live. Celebration boxes were also mailed to each member of the graduating class; and as noted below, the rescheduled Commencement ceremony will take place on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m.
Dear Class of 2020,
Thank you to everyone who has participated in commencement discussions and completed the survey to find the best solution, given the circumstances, for a rescheduled commencement ceremony. Based on your input, we will hold your commencement ceremony on Saturday, October 10, 2020.
It was important to you to hold your ceremony in your year, and so while there were some votes for a January or May ceremony, the overwhelming majority of you chose October.
Now that we have the date, the commencement committee is already hard at work to develop a plan for the rescheduled commencement weekend and ceremony. They are thinking creatively about ways to provide some of the traditions, events and activities that typically occur around commencement. We continue to welcome your suggestions and feedback as we develop these plans. It is all about you! While this rescheduled plan may change, given the unpredictability of the coronavirus outbreak, we remain optimistic about October 10 for your ceremony.
On a personal note, I once again want to express how proud I am of you and all you have accomplished during your time at Hood. Your resiliency and continued optimism in the face of tremendous adversity have been a source of hope and motivation for me during these difficult days – thank you! On May 16, you will officially be a graduate of the College and able to be counted among the more than 19,000 living alumni. Please tune into the College’s Facebook page on May 16 at 10 a.m. for a special gift from the College to you.
Your diplomas will be mailed to your address at the end of May. Please make sure the registrar’s office has the correct address on file.
We will continue to update you as plans are developed. Stay safe and well.
Best,
Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D.
President
Future Commencement Dates
- October 10, 2020
- May 22, 2021
- May 21, 2022
- May 20, 2023
- May 18, 2024
Dear Members of the Class of 2020,
I’m writing today to share with you a very difficult decision. Given the current predictions regarding the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have determined that May 16 is not a viable option for our 2020 Commencement ceremony, and we must postpone it. This also means postponing related activities, including Senior Week, the baccalaureate service, the ROTC commissioning ceremony, the doctoral hooding ceremony, the nursing pinning ceremony and the graduate degree reception.
While some schools are holding a virtual ceremony on their original commencement date, that has never been an option for Hood. I made a promise to you early on that you will have a commencement ceremony. And I have heard from many of you that that promise has helped mitigate some of the disappointment and sadness you are feeling due to the profound disruption the pandemic has caused.
Be assured that this is a postponement of celebrating your degree, not the degree itself. Based on the successful completion of your degree requirements, the Board of Trustees has voted to award your degree in May. Regardless of when we hold your commencement ceremony, as of May 16, 2020, you are a Hood College graduate.
The commencement committee met earlier this week, with a number of seniors and graduate students in attendance. Based on that meeting, we have identified three possible alternative dates for the ceremony. We’ve created a short survey outlining these options, and we are asking all 2020 graduates for input. The survey also includes space for you to provide your own thoughts.
Please complete the survey no later than Wednesday, April 8.
Your input will help us make the best, most student-centered decisions as we move forward with our plans. We will announce the selected date as soon as we can but no later than Friday, April 17.
I am so very sorry we will not be together on May 16, 2020, but we are planning ways for all of the Hood community to recognize and celebrate you, graduates, on that day until we can do so in person.
I am so proud of you all for not only what you’ve accomplished to get to this point, but also for how you have adapted under tremendous pressure and uncertainty. You continue to make me Hood Proud. Be well!
Best,
Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D.
President
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