Commencement
Today, the campus community received an email message from our University Chaplain, Tim Auman, and Dean of the School of Divinity and Wait Chapel, Jonathan Walton, on the Atlanta shooting and anti-Asian violence. You can read it here. As they said so eloquently, “we sit in sorrow and solidarity with all those affected.” These two men have a special gift for finding the right words in times of hurt and sorrow, and we are deeply grateful for their care and comfort.
Last night, our ’21s and P’21s received an email about Commencement activities for the Class of 2021. You can read the full message here, but here are some key takeaways:
It will be in person! Most will be held outdoors in Wake athletic facilities.
There will be multiple smaller ceremonies for undergraduates to allow individuals to be recognized by name in front of families and guests, as well as one large celebration. We will livestream ceremonies and celebrations when possible.
We anticipate being able to accommodate two guests per graduate at each ceremony and celebration. This may change as public health conditions change, but at present we cannot offer anyone more than 2 tickets.
We are still working out the details for the various ceremonies and celebrations. We are targeting Sunday, May 16, and/or Monday, May 17, to conduct most undergraduate activities. We will share details regarding dates and times on Friday (3/19), to help with travel planning, and as more details become available in the coming weeks, we will share them.
Some of you have already emailed me to ask if there is any way to have more than 2 tickets. Unfortunately, our public health guidance is such that we do have to limit it to 2 at this time (yes, even if folks are fully vaccinated, as social distance still must be maintained). That said, please know we will continue to monitor the public health guidance and this may change as public health conditions change. Everything about COVID has moved rapidly, so a lot can happen in the two months between now and Commencement. We will share details or changes as we know them.
We also sent a message to the P’20s about celebrating the Class of 2020. The main thrust of that message was that the Class of 2020 is being surveyed about their wishes for recognition. On the table are: a May 22 outdoor celebration (likely in an athletic stadium and likely limit of 2 guests each) and a special Homecoming celebration specific to the Class of 2020. Ultimately, decisions will be made based on the public health guidance and the feedback we receive from 2020 graduates. Again, as we know more, we will share.
Some of you have written me with the great news that your students have already received the vaccine (hooray!) Please be sure that your students report in SneezSafe that they have received the vaccine. That information will be really critical in helping us estimate need as we plan for vaccine distribution on campus. Students will continue to get notice of vaccine opportunities on campus as they become available, and they are also free to seek a vaccine at local pharmacies or mass vaccination events.
As we are about to begin the Character and the Professions conference, I got word about some spring discussion groups that may be of interest to your students:
This spring the Program for Leadership and Character will be running discussion groups and would like to invite your students to join us.
Our program invites students into personal reflection on issues of leadership, character, and the good life. And in the second half of the semester we will offer four groups that pursue such reflection in relation to specialized topics:
Vocation, Virtues, and the Voices that Call You
Leadership, Character, and Religious Life
Technology and the Good Life
Ecological Citizenship
See more about each group here. Discussion groups will begin during the week of March 29 and will meet once per week for one hour each time over the next three weeks (April 5, 12, and 19). Prior to each meeting group leaders will send out short pieces to frame the discussion. Those readings will come from a range of perspectives and genres and should take no more than 15–30 minutes to complete.
Students can sign up for one of the groups by March 23 by visiting https://go.wfu.edu/spring21affinitygroups! These groups are open to all Wake Forest undergraduates.