What Commencement May Look like this Year

By Samantha Lindell

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Chancellor Mike Haynie announced an update in commencement plans for spring 2021. As of this week, Syracuse University announced that graduation will be held on May 23, two weeks later than originally planned. SU is planning to hold an in-person graduation ceremony this year, but whether it will be in the dome or not will depend on if the Syracuse Community can keep COVID numbers down.

2020 Graduate, Deven Sportelli, says she hopes that the Class of 2021 will be able to have in-person graduation in the dome. She also hopes the Class of 2020 can come back to celebrate. She also states that her virtual graduation was short, lasting about 10-15 minutes, which was a letdown after four years of hard work.

Sarah Grinnell, a senior, is hoping to have her own in-person graduation in the dome this spring. She hopes her parents can attend too, as they feel more comfortable after getting both doses of the vaccine. She believes that the trends have been relatively good thus far, and with the rise of student and faculty vaccinations, an in-person graduation ceremony in the dome is achievable.

The University has also stated that more information on what commencement could look like will be released on April 1st.