The University will hold an in-person Commencement ceremony for the class of 2020 during the first weekend of June 2022, more than two years after their senior year was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The planning process for an in-person graduation ceremony commenced in January 2021, when the Office of Advancement began working with class representatives to see when members of the class would want their graduation to take place. According to Vice President for Advancement Frantz Williams Jr., the Office surveyed the class of 2020 on whether they would prefer a limited May 2021 ceremony or a ceremony in the future with lighter COVID restrictions.

“The situation in January of 2021 was still very uncertain—vaccinations were not readily available, and COVID cases across the country were very high. Given that uncertainty, over 300 members of the class responded with a preference to gather at a later date,” Williams wrote in an email to The Argus.

The Office of Advancement surveyed the class of 2020 again over the summer to ask about date preferences and found that the majority of people wanted Commencement to take place sometime between June 3 and June 5 in 2022. 

Further details, such as time and a specific date, are still forthcoming, according to Williams. The University will begin planning the specifics of the event in the coming months, working with both class of 2020 representatives and campus partners to create a meaningful event for the class and their families.

“Wesleyan acknowledged early on in the pandemic that the Class of 2020 Commencement would be unique and necessitate a special approach to appropriately celebrate the achievements of the class,” Williams wrote. “While we have not yet determined all of the details, we will seek to present a combination of important Commencement traditions and elements of fun and celebration. This class will have already experienced two years as recent alumni, so that perspective will likely be woven into our planning with the class.”
Cameron Ryan can be reached at ccryan@wesleyan.edu.