Cancellation of graduation ceremony saddens seniors
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April 6, 2020
Lindenwood senior Danielle Lee was looking forward to her graduation party and walking across the stage in May, but because of the growing COVID-19 pandemic, that won’t be happening.
Lee, a broadcast communications major, said she still wants to have her moment in the December ceremony because she is the first member of her immediate family to graduate from college.
“I have been waiting for this moment the whole semester, and it sucks that I have to wait until December,” Lee said. “It will not be the same.”
In March, an email from Lindenwood University’s provost announced that the commencement ceremony, scheduled for the weekend of May 8-10, would not take place. Lindenwood invited graduates to the December graduation instead, and is planning ways to honor them virtually.
Lee described graduation being canceled and classes moving online as the biggest disappointment of her senior year.
Digital cinema arts major Adam Kelso, on the other hand, said he probably won’t go to the December ceremony because he plans to move to Los Angeles after graduation, and it wouldn’t feel right to attend a different graduation.
Kelso said he was looking forward to seeing his friends for the last time and going out with his family for graduation dinner. Overall, Kelso said that he hopes COVID-19 gets figured out soon, so everyone can go back to their normal lives.
Another broadcast communications major graduating this year, Shaelyn Deves, also said she is upset that she won’t be able to share the moment with her friends and classmates.
“I was looking forward to walking across the stage and finally being like ‘I made it,’” she said.
Deves said she plans on going to the December ceremony, but wishes they had planned a separate ceremony for May graduates.
“It will not be the same being lumped with all of the December graduates, who deserve their own recognition time like we all do,” Deves said. “They aren’t going to be able to receive their proper graduation as well.”
Deves’ family and friends had planned to come to her graduation party from out of state, but now she is uncertain when – or if – she can plan for a party.
Kenny Whiteman • Apr 8, 2020 at 9:52 pm
As a father of A 2020 Lindenwood Graduate I absolutely side with my Daughter and her fellow senior classmates. Lindenwood University made the decision to call off graduation to early.
Although no one would ever want the chance of the virus to spread from a graduation ceremony, certain precautions could eliminate the uncertainty. One scenario would be the football stadium. Proper distancing could extend into the parking lot with the graduates announcements coming from the box As far as the guest speakers and student speakers all can be achieved by prerecorded and wireless communications
Postponing graduation was the responsible procedure, but canceling the 2020 class graduation I feel was premature. If nothing else give the graduates a separate day, not part of another classes day. We all want life to go back as we know it but by September ,October, we will need a little piece of normalcy I know this won’t be the answer but don’t cancel yet. The dreams of many students and parents rest on it