MANSFIELD, Conn. — In a letter home to its community, UConn officials announced last week it will hold its first ever 'virtual' commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9.
The ceremony was streamed 12 p.m from the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on UConn's official YouTube channel.
UConn President, Thomas Katsouleas said graduates can expect to see taped greetings from some of the brightest stars in UConn Nation, the official conferral of degrees for undergraduate and graduate students, and the name of every person receiving a degree this year will be listed.
"If we can’t be together in person, we can at least be together through the medium of technology, and I hope you’ll join us and participate on social media, using the hashtag #UConn20," Katsouleas wrote.
He also continued that details are forthcoming on an in-person celebration for the Class of 2020 during the weekend of Oct. 9 to 11.
"While we’re applauding the accomplishments of our graduates, I also want to thank everyone in the extended UConn community – alumni, parents, families, and neighbors – who have extended a helping hand during this very challenging time." Katsouleas said. "Whether it’s something as simple as hanging a blue paper heart in your front window, or as involved as organizing a mass donation of protective masks, you have lifted our spirits more than I can say."
Officials encourage those able to donate to the Students First Fund through the UConn Foundation.
According to the letter, those donations will provide financial assistance to students experiencing hardship due to the coronavirus.
The University said despite being forced to shift when the virus spread in CT, UConn "made it work" and not a single course was canceled.
President Katsouleas applauded faculty and staff for doing an extraordinary job creating, from scratch, a course on the pandemic this spring.
UConn Health employees on the frontlines have treated more than 150 COVID-19-positive patients, he wrote.
"We are only at the beginning of what will be a long and, frankly, extremely hard journey. There will be tough choices and difficult decisions ahead. And while many of our most urgent questions don’t have answers yet, I know without a doubt that the outcome of this journey will see UConn emerge stronger and more committed to our mission than ever," Katsouleas wrote. "The reason I’m so confident is because I’ve seen how this community has already responded to the challenge of the pandemic – with inventiveness, commitment, and, above all, Husky Pride."
