LCCC celebrating class with campus flag display

2020 marks largest graduating class in school’s history

Lorain County Community College will virtually celebrate the accomplishments of its largest graduating class in the college’s 57-year history.

With 2,510 degrees and certificates earned by 1,918 graduates and another 260 students earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees through LCCC’s University Partnership, the class of 2020 is historic for a number of reasons, according to an LCCC news release.

Included in this year’s class are 125 high school students who are earning both a high school diploma and associate degrees through the Early College High School and College Credit Plus programs.

“In more ways than they might realize, this class is history in the making,” said LCCC President Marcia J. Ballinger, Ph.D. “These times are unprecedented, but so are our graduates’ innovative thinking, determination and potential.

“I’ve always known LCCC students have grit and perseverance.

“But in the past two months, our new graduates have demonstrated extraordinary determination and commitment to continue their education and achieve their goal of graduation.”

LCCC previously announced that due to the novel coronavirus health crisis preventing mass gatherings, the college was forced to cancel its in-person commencement ceremony scheduled for May 16.

That date now will be the launch for a two-week tribute and celebration of the class of 2020.

It will begin at 9:30 a.m., May 16, with a virtual ceremony on LCCC’s Facebook page.

The online ceremony featuring theme of “Perseverance” will pay tribute to the class of 2020 with video messages along with keynote addresses from Student Senate President Udell Holmes and Ballinger, according to the release.

To provide an opportunity for graduates to join in the celebration, the college sent graduates their regalia and asked them to submit a photo and message to their families, which will be shown during the online ceremony.

Decorating caps

Many graduates are decorating their caps for the ceremony and are encouraged to share photos of the completed caps on social media.

While graduates decorate their caps, the LCCC’s team is creating an outdoor public recognition display that Ballinger hopes will make this year’s ceremony even more special.

LCCC’s commencement team designed the tribute that will be comprised of thousands of marking flags forming the shape of a graduation cap on the Elyria campus, the release said.

The graduation cap display will span 351 feet by 279 feet.

The symbolic display celebrates this year’s graduates, as well as all grads since 1964, which marked LCCC’s first graduating class.

The 47,000 marking flags each represent an LCCC graduate.

One square, identified by yellow flags, represents the end of the tassel within the design and has an additional 2,185 flags — one flag for each graduate of the class of 2020.

Boards located near the display list the names of the class of 2020 to further recognize their accomplishments.

The display will remain up until June 1 and allow the opportunity for graduates to drive by and take a photo.

“The spirit behind this display is to show our graduates, their friends and families, and our entire community that while we are celebrating this milestone occasion physically apart, the class of 2020 is united as LCCC graduates today and alumni forever,” Ballinger said.

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SUBMITTED Flags signifying LCCC graduates have been planted on the college’s Elyria campus to recognize this year’s class.