RI universities make plans for COVID-era commencements

College commencement ceremonies across Rhode Island will look far different than they ever have before, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing need for social distancing, as a number of Rhode Island universities and colleges have announced that their graduation e[ercises for the Class of 2020 will be done virtually this month.

At the University of Rhode Island, President David M. Dooley will confer the degrees of nearly 3,900 undergraduate and 725 graduate students in the Class of 2020 in separate virtual ceremonies ne[t weekend. The graduate school virtual recognition will air on Saturday, May 16 at 9 a.m., and the undergraduate virtual recognition will be broadcast the following day, Sunday,

May 17, at 12:30 p.m. Both will air online at uri.edu commencement y2020.

The online event will “salute our graduating students through remarks from each college dean, a performance of the µAlma Mater’ by Elise Felker µ20, an electronic list of graduates’ names, inspiring words of encouragement from the Class of 1970, and more,” school

officials announced on Monday. Gov. Gina M. Raimondo will also address the graduates and celebrate the accomplishments of the &lass of .

URI officials say they hope to hold an in-person celebration for the &lass of

at a future date. Plans will be announced “well in advance to allow sufficient time for planning.”

URI also announced that it will hold a 9irtual Recognition Weekend for graduate and undergraduate students in the &lass of , who are unable to have an in-person May commencement because of &29ID-1 restrictions.

Graduate student recognition will take place starting at a.m. 6aturday, May 1 , followed by undergraduate recognition at 1 on 6unday, May 1 . The ceremonies will have much of the flavor of past commencement events, even if its attendees aren’t together physically.

“I was pretty bummed to know that the last part of my senior year was gone, especially graduation, but I’m still thankful,” said -essica %urr, of +ebron, &onn. “If that’s the worst thing taken from me, and if I have to stay in my house for a while, I’ll be incredibly fortunate.”

&ommunity &ollege of Rhode Island will hold its own virtual commencement on Friday, May , with more details to come in the future. &&RI graduates will receive a package in the mail with details of what e[actly to e[pect of the virtual ceremony.

“I know our graduates, their families, and our entire college community are disappointed that we had to cancel our traditional commencement celebration. (very day since we announced that decision, we have worked to come up with a way to recogni]e our graduates’ accomplishments«” said &&RI President Meghan +ughes in a statement. “While a virtual commencement cannot replace coming together under one roof with our families and friends to celebrate, we will make sure it is meaningful and memorable.”

All of &&RI’s graduates have also been invited to the 1 commencement ne[t May to have their achievements recogni]ed, +ughes said.

At Rhode Island &ollege, the plans are to hold an in-person commencement in the fall, as close to

percent of students who responded to a survey said they’d like to take part in an in-person celebration.

“As circumstances allow us to celebrate safely, we plan to recogni]e your accomplishments in the fall,” school officials said. A date and time will be announced later this summer.

%efore then, a virtual commencement celebration will still be held on 6aturday, May 1 ± the original date of the &lass of ’s commencement ± at a.m. The celebration will feature video collages of graduating students within each school ± arts and sciences, business, education, nursing, and social work.

“Please know that although we are not currently able to fully recogni]e your accomplishments with all the pomp and circumstance that your achievements deserve, we will honor you appropriately at another time and will share those plans in the coming weeks,” said RI& President Frank D. 6anche]. “In this difficult and challenging time, I want to thank you for your patience and understanding and to each of you, I e[press my appreciation, gratitude, encouragement and continued support. And, when the time is right, I look forward to personally congratulating all that you have accomplished.”

Providence &ollege will also hold a virtual ceremony this month, followed by a planned in-person commencement later this year.

Degrees will be awarded to the &lass of during a virtual ceremony on 6unday, May 1 at 11 a.m. at commencement.providence. edu, with video messages from President Rev. %rian -. 6hanley, &lass President -ulia Gaffney, and Provost Dr. +ugh /ena.

“This virtual conferral or formal acknowledgment of the completion of your degree requirements will allow you to reference your Providence &ollege degree as having been awarded to you on that date, which is important for so many of you who are pursuing graduate studies or employment opportunities,” 6hanley said in a statement posted online.

A traditional, in-person commencement will follow on 6aturday, 2ct. 1 at the Dunkin’ Donuts &enter. P&’s &ommencement Mass will be celebrated the night prior to the ceremony ± Friday, 2ctober ± at the &athedral of 6aints Peter and Paul in downtown Providence.

%ryant University last month announced the postponement of its undergraduate and graduate commencement e[ercises from May 14 and 1 to 6aturday, Aug. , with the planned ceremony scheduled to be held inside the Dunkin’ Donuts &enter.

The arena was chosen to prevent potential interference from weather and to allow the university’s 1, undergraduate and graduate students, along with %ryant faculty and guests, to maintain any social distancing that may still be necessary at that time, school officials said in a statement posted to the university’s website. The Dunkin’ Donuts &enter’s capacity is 14, .

“I have been enormously proud of the way everyone has adapted to the many challenges the pandemic has presented. In true %ulldog spirit, we have learned new skills that will prepare us for the rapidly changing world in which we now live,” said %ryant University President Ronald .. Machtley on the university’s website. “2ur thoughts and prayers go out to many of our families and friends who have suffered directly in this pandemic. And, our appreciation goes out to the first responders, healthcare, and law enforcement professionals who risk their lives for us daily.”

1ew (ngland Institute of

Technology is “considering alternatives to this year’s commencement ceremony” after canceling its scheduled May graduation.

“In these difficult and challenging times due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic, we are unable to gather at a commencement ceremony to recogni]e and celebrate our graduates’ achievements of earning their degrees,” reads a statement on the 1(IT website. “We applaud their wellearned accomplishments.”

“1(IT will consider alternatives to this year’s commencement ceremony and will provide updates once available,” the statement adds.