By Kristen Bowman / Aug 4, 2020 1:56:55 PM
Auburn University, News
Although planned August celebrations to recognize recent Auburn University graduates are indefinitely postponed, the university and the College of Agriculture still wish to recognize its recent graduates.
In the absence of planned ceremonies, Auburn is still prepared to welcome and celebrate graduates and guests who already had plans to travel to Auburn for the weekend.
A College of Agriculture Graduation Celebration will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. this Saturday, Aug. 8, on Comer Lawn. Amy Wright, associate dean for instruction, members of the Student Services Office, Peer Mentors and Ag Ambassadors will be in attendance to congratulate these recent graduates.
“We are extremely proud of the students who completed their studies during this unusual time,” Wright said. “They rallied as we shifted to an online learning platform in March for the safety of our community amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Their remarkable achievements are all the more impressive given the adjustments they had to make at the end of their studies.”
The celebration is a drop-by event for anyone who graduated in spring or summer 2020. The college will have waters, fans and snacks for all guests as well as a surprise for the graduates. Graduates are encouraged to take photos with their guests in front of Comer Hall.
The College of Agriculture also wishes to recognize its recent graduates individually by name and to share a congratulatory message. To view the message and recognitions, video agriculture.auburn.edu/graduates.
More than 4,000 spring 2020 graduates were initially scheduled to participate in commencement ceremonies in May; when those events were postponed, plans were made to combine the spring and summer ceremonies on Aug. 8 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Graduates and families who visit campus on Saturday will also have the opportunity to enter Jordan-Hare Stadium from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., don their regalia, and have their name displayed on the video board. Auburn University Photographic Services will be available to shoot official photos. Other major campus venues — including the Auburn Arena, Auburn University Bookstore, Student Center and Samford Hall — will also be open to visitors.
Despite the university’s efforts to coordinate ceremonies that promoted numerous safety protocols and aligned with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state guidelines, the decision to postpone the ceremonies was made out of growing concerns over graduates’ and guests’ ability to travel to and from other states and attend large in-person gatherings.
Required safety protocols — including face coverings and appropriate physical distancing for all graduates and guests — will be enforced throughout the Aug. 8 weekend as part of the university’s fall reentry plan, A Healthier U.
The university regrets any inconvenience the postponed ceremonies have caused graduates, their families and friends, and the College of Agriculture hopes to see as many of these graduates as possible at the Graduation Celebration on Saturday.
