Final thoughts before Commencement
All hands are on deck prepping for Commencement. Our Commencement office has asked me to share some final information with you:
A message was sent to gradutes and their families today about Governor Cooper’s press conference, which outlined public health measures. Read the full message here, and I will give you the BLUF (Bottom Line, Up Front)
Masks and social distancing requirements remain in effect for all indoor Commencement activities.
At the outdoor undergraduate celebration at Truist Field, masks will be encouraged but optional. Social distancing requirements remain.
Graduates received their commencement tickets on Thursday. Remind them to forward their tickets to their two guests. Guests will not be allowed in without a ticket.
Please do not bring extra family members to the venue to ask for an extra ticket. We will not have extra tickets available; two tickets is the limit for each graduate.
While we are asking all guests to be in their seats 10 minutes before the ceremony begins, ticketholders have the right to enter the event at any time. We cannot ‘look for unused seats’ to give to extra family members. A ticket holder could arrive 5 minutes before their student’s name is called, and we have to ensure their seats are free for them.
Livestream information is now on the main Commencement page. Check there for details of specific ceremonies.
A message about Herff Jones was also sent to ’21 graduates and their families; read it here.
For our P’22-’24 families who may be coming to campus to help move their Deacs out following finals, know that the University’s mask and social distancing requirements remain in place during move-out activities. We are doing this because of the fact that people are traveling from all over, and we have no way to determine vaccination status. These measures are necessary to protect those who are not yet vaccinated and those with health conditions who planned to come down for move-out based on established protocols.
As we wind down the week – and the last day of our Call Center operating! – and as your Deacs prepare to come home for the summer (or graduate), I want to offer one suggestion. Your Deacs accomplished a lot this year – grew in new and unexpected ways, learned a lot about themselves and their academic subjects, pivoted impressively. Once they get home, be sure to celebrate them and recognize their considerable accomplishments. And let them sleep a lot the first few days!
Even after your Deacs go home, this blog stays active 🙂 so I will bring you news throughout the summer. Thanks for hanging with us, Deac families!