Berry College officially postpones commencement

♦ Other local institutions have already put off their graduation ceremonies.

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of those depths.”

— Elisabeth Kubler-ross

Berry College has officially postponed its graduation ceremony.

Just weeks ago, the college elected to close the campus indefinitely due to the coronavirus and there’s no clear date on when it will open up again.

After some hard decision making, President Steve Briggs said Thursday there is no feasible way to hold a commencement at this point.

“Despite our fervent hopes, there is no realistic possibility of an on-campus Commencement ceremony on May 9,” Briggs said in a statement. “We are looking at several other options for a possible on-campus ceremony.”

College spokeswoman Chris Kozelle said that graduating seniors have said they would prefer a late commencement ceremony to a virtual one, as some colleges across the nation have decided.

“We are currently surveying seniors about future dates once the pandemic subsides,” she said. “The students already told us they prefer a postponed in-person event. So we are surveying them about dates in the summer, fall, and December if we are allowed to gather again.”

Berry is not the only local college that has pushed commencement back. Georgia Northwestern Technical College has reset its spring commencement to Aug. 11 because of the outbreak.

“We want to recognize and celebrate our students’ successes. However, during these extraordinary times, we believe it is best to reschedule the graduation ceremony,” GNTC President Heidi Popham said in a statement. “The safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff remains our top priority.”

Georgia Highlands College has also postponed its commencement with no clear date listed on its website.

Shorter University’s spokeswoman, Dawn Tolbert, said degrees will still be conferred on May 8 and mailed to students. However, the school is exploring options for an in-person commencement on a later date.

Local public school systems are still unsure of what to do about graduations. The schools are closed for the remainder of the 20192020 school year.

Floyd County Schools Superintendent Jeff Wilson has said commencement ceremonies at all four high schools will be postponed.

He is looking at virtual options or having a physical gathering after the statewide public health emergency ends. The system has also not made a decision about prom.

Rome City Schools have canceled prom but no decision has been made yet about graduation, according to Superintendent Lou Byars.