Dear Members of the Class of 2021, 

Welcome back to spring term. We realize you and your families are anxiously awaiting news of how we are planning to celebrate the many accomplishments of the Class of 2021. Please share this update with your parents and guardians.

Commencement is a cherished and celebratory time to cap off your academic career. In the midst of this challenging pandemic, we have heard from many of you a desire for an in-person component to commencement. At the request of our students, including advocacy from the leadership of the Associated Student Government, we have thought through alternatives and different plans while balancing the need to comply with both state and county restrictions on graduation ceremonies. In keeping with these guidelines, we are planning two celebrations: a Virtual Commencement on June 12 and an optional in-person celebration on campus for students only on June 11.

Virtual Commencement on June 12 will allow all members of the Class of 2021, your family and friends, to participate safely in a celebration to honor your achievements. It will also accommodate those of you who cannot be on campus in person. More details including a detailed schedule of events will be posted on the Commencement website.

For our June 11 in-person celebration, students will be invited to be robed in academic regalia, to have their names read, receive their diplomas and have their photos taken by a photographer. Some additional points to note on how this day will look different from a typical Commencement:

• Only graduates of the Class of 2021 will be allowed to attend the gathering; unfortunately, parents will not be permitted to attend;
• The celebration will be broadcast live, online to allow all graduates, family and friends to view this portion of the Commencement experience;
• Current public health guidelines may make participation difficult for individuals currently residing outside of California. Students should be aware that the state of California currently recommends that anyone traveling into the area from out of state “should self-quarantine for 10 days after arrival, except as necessary to meet urgent critical healthcare staffing needs or to otherwise engage in emergency response.” ;
• Existing health protocols will be in place: graduates will be required to wear masks and engage in social distancing;
• Unlike the traditional commencement, students will not process by academic units or departments.

All students who meet the graduation requirements will receive an email early next week from our Commencement Office which will contain links to order academic regalia, verify their shipping address for their Class of 2021 Celebration Box, as well as choose their "in-Person Celebration" time slot on a first-come, first-served basis. Graduates should confer with friends and sign up for their preferred time block.  

We know you have a number of questions, so we will continue to monitor shifting state and county guidelines in the coming months. The Commencement website will be updated to answer your questions as well as reflect changes to state and county health directives.

You, the Class of 2021, have persevered and succeeded in a most challenging and uncertain time. We are extremely proud of you and it will be a pleasure to acknowledge your accomplishments at the virtual event on June 12 and celebrate with some of you in person on June 11. Meanwhile, we wish you a healthy and productive spring quarter!

Go Broncos! 

Lisa A. Kloppenberg
Acting President

Naren Agrawal
Interim Dean, Leavey School of Business

Daniel Press
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Elaine P. Scott
Dean, School of Engineering