As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be prevalent everyday, many schools and universities are making decisions to postpone certain activities. On April 21, Stevens announced that the 2020 Commencement ceremony was postponed from the original date of May 20 to October 17.
The date was moved to follow the guidance of the State of New Jersey and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to ensure the safety of attendees. There are concerns surrounding large gatherings in the fall, and Commencement may be pushed further back if necessary.
Some graduating seniors were willing to comment on this scenario that the whole class is in.
Alex Murtagh stated, “Personally, I’m glad it’s happening… I’m a little worried about people moving away and not being able to come back at that time, but I’ve heard most people are making plans to come back. I just really feel bad for my friends that are going into the military after graduation and won’t be able to come back. It just really sucks that I won’t even have the chance to say goodbye in person.”U
On the other hand, senior Ethan DyTioco commented, “I’m not too upset if commencement was postponed. To be honest, I’m more concerned about getting a job to worry much about the ceremony.”
These two varying responses present a small glimpse into how graduating students are working through this postponement.
Furthermore, Valedictorian Chris Liu explained, “In regard to Commencement, I was a bit disappointed but I am more concerned about everyone’s health and safety. Nevertheless, I am glad that there has been a postponement date set so I am certainly looking forward to that.”
As fall approaches, there is a heavy weight on the shoulders of the administration as they are hopeful for a normal fall semester. By following New Jersey and CDC guidelines, the postponement was made and now, only time will tell if the October date stays set.
Be First to Comment