Due to the circumstances regarding COVID-19, the UCR class of 2020 has had their official in-person commencement ceremony postponed, with the exception of the School of Medicine. In the interim, UCR is hosting an online celebration for graduates and their families on Sunday, June 14 at 2 p.m.
As per the commencement website, graduating seniors are able to create a personalized slide for the online commemoration. They were asked to select a personal photo and message to be featured in the slideshow, and given the choice to have their name announced in a pre-recording. Seniors are also encouraged to share their customized slide on any social media platforms, using the #UCRGrad20 in order to celebrate.
Jeremy Soo, a fourth-year political science major, expressed his dissatisfaction with the remote celebration, stating that an online celebration would not have the same effect. “If there was an in-person event, I don’t think I would go back to it,” he stated. He added, “but I understand the reasoning due to the current circumstances.” Soo added that it would have been nice if ASPB had taken the initiative to host a virtual Spring Splash concert, much like other organizations have been doing while social distancing restrictions have been put into place; in that way, seniors could have had an additional event to anticipate before they graduated from the university.
Another student, Kathy Bui, a fourth-year economics major, vocalized a similar opinion stating,”I am less excited to be honest, since this was something that you think and dream about since you started college.” Bui went on to affirm that she is personally satisfied with UCR’s remote commemoration, as it is the best that can be done given the current situation. She said, “I’m glad they postponed the in-person celebration and didn’t cancel.”
To any interested parties, according to UCR’s official 66th commencement website, a link to the celebration will be posted ten minutes before the formal time — June 14 at 1:50 p.m.
