Scattered Conn College graduates celebrate virtually
Their senior year came to an unexpected ending
New London — Connecticut College's 427 graduating seniors enjoyed commencement from home Sunday afternoon, breaking with more than a century-old tradition of in-person ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conn postponed its official 102nd commencement until May 2021, but on Sunday at 2 p.m., the college conducted a virtual celebration. May 17 was the originally scheduled commencement date.
Senior Scott Brauer, who watched graduation with his parents in the living room of his Massachusetts home, glass of Champagne in hand, said one of the toughest aspects of this year's graduation was missing out on closure with faculty members “who mentored us the last four years.” He said he and his friends have worked around quarantine to stay in contact.
“We've managed to find some ways to celebrate despite the challenges of being removed from one another,” Brauer said. “We've been able to do Zoom calls, like we did last night, and we're planning on having another get together this evening.”
Brauer double majored in human development and German studies. He'll be traveling to Germany next year, where he'll be an English teacher's assistant, to embark on a Fulbright Fellowship.
Just as other colleges and universities have done, Conn rolled out an
elaborate social media plan ahead of graduation, at least partly making up for the customary flood of photos that comes with the event. Snapchat filters, Instagram "stickers" and a “Conn 2020 GRADUATE” frame for Facebook profile pictures were all available. People could also download pre-made graphics from the college to share on social media.
College President Katherine Bergeron opened graduation with remarks regarding the historic nature of the Class of 2020.
“It is a privilege to celebrate with you across the miles, and to be able to open today’s unique event, the very first virtual graduation in the history of Connecticut College,” Bergeron said.
She noted that this year’s class is the first to graduate after participating in the college’s new “Connections” curriculum, which started in 2016. In short, the new curriculum asks students to choose an interdisciplinary "pathway," such as social justice and sustainability, in addition to their major by their sophomore year.
In what would become consistent themes of the 35-minute proceedings, Bergeron touched on the characteristics of adaptivity, creativity and grace she believes the Class of 2020 has exhibited while going through the disappointment of a truncated senior year.
Patrick Awuah, entrepreneur and founding president of Ashesi University College in Ghana, the originally scheduled keynote speaker, addressed the graduates next. He offered encouragement through a poem, “The Trough,” by Judy Brown.
“Class of 2020, the whole word is in a trough, but if we rest here, if we take the time to notice the shape of things, conserve our energy, we will rise again together to another crest, and see land, see horizon, and see where we need to swim,” Awuah said.
The bulk of Sunday’s event involved pre-made videos. First was one of move-in day with footage from the Class of 2020’s first semester at Conn, including moving into dormitories upon arriving on campus.
Class of 2020 President Emma
Benington introduced the next video, which was stitched together from student-submitted clips of 10 seconds or less. She collected more than 200 video submissions for the project.
Class speaker Viridiana Villalva Salas narrated the video, which showed students waving or putting their thumbs up, quick shots of the campus, students roller blading, kicking soccer balls and practicing gymnastics, Parts of the video show one person throwing a football in one shot and another person catching it in the next, or people “passing” a piece of paper from frame to frame with messages congratulating 2020 graduates.
Villalva Salas’s emotional narration tied the video together.
“When the whole world stopped, it was especially hard to part,” Villalva Salas said. “But we realize our professors, coaches and friends were there for us all along.”
Senior Megan Feragne, a Hispanic studies major and biological sciences minor, said Sunday’s production moved her, and she was appreciative of the college’s effort in putting it together.
“They really went above and beyond for us,” Feragne said. “I thought the student video was perfect. It was more than the best they could do.”
Feragne enjoyed graduation from her home in Pomfret, piña colada in hand, with her mother, father, sister, brother and dog. Feragne is headed to to Brown University to study global health in the fall. There she’ll complete one of three semesters before going to Spain in January for her Fulbright scholarship.
Marc Forster, professor of history and college marshal, and Truth Hunter, director of race and ethnicity programs, segued into the next video, featuring an array of faculty members praising the Class of 2020. Their words were cut together, mimicking a cohesive speech.
Bergeron’s closing comments took a turn from the usual high-minded platitudes of commencement when she presented another video, this time a bluesy spin on Conn’s alma mater. With the help of a cappella students, Bergeron and other staff members belted the remix. The video showed dozens of individual frames of students and staff singing and playing instruments.
Senior Andre Thomas, a theater major who minored in psychology and architectural studies, wore his cap and gown as he watched the ceremony from home in Chicago with his father while video chatting with his mother and stepfather, who live in California. Thomas started as a neuroscience major at Conn, but he didn’t have a passion for it. He switched to theater when an adviser told him to chase what he loved.
“I want to thank Conn and everyone who had a hand in the production of graduation,” Thomas said. “I was worried we’d get the same result as other students around the country — maybe a basic virtual ceremony, or some schools have even canceled with no alternative, nothing virtual or in-person. I wanted something, and this really was special.”
Feragne, Thomas and Brauer said they had come to terms with missing most of the spring semester, but Feragne said the biggest disappointment was the lack of warning about the sudden cancellation of their senior year.
“Everything that was last, I had no idea it was our last, because we were on spring break when on-campus activities were canceled,” Feragne said. “Just thinking back to the mac and cheese I had in the dining hall on the last day, I had no idea that was my last bowl of Harris mac and cheese. I would do anything for one more bowl.”