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Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont will host in-person commencement ceremonies to celebrate the academic achievements of members of the Class of 2020. The ceremonies will be held on Saturday, Aug. 14 in Patrick Gymnasium at the UVM Athletic Complex.
Health and safety restrictions imposed as part of the state and university’s coronavirus pandemic response had precluded in-person gatherings in spring of 2020 and 2021 for this class of graduates. A virtual celebration was held on May 17, 2020 for the class.
“We are delighted to welcome home our Class of 2020 graduates and their guests,” said UVM President Suresh Garimella. “We hope that these ceremonies provide a wonderful opportunity for our graduates to gather with classmates, family and friends to honor their well-earned academic achievements.”
There will be two ceremonies on Saturday. The first ceremony is scheduled for 9-10:30 a.m., and will include graduates from the Graduate College, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Grossman School of Business, College of Education and Social Services, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. The second ceremony will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. for graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. Doors will open an hour prior to the scheduled start of both ceremonies.
President Garimella will deliver remarks at both ceremonies. The main focus of the ceremonies is on recognizing the exceptional accomplishments of individual graduates. Graduates will cross the stage in full regalia to pick up a diploma cover, while their names are read and their degree information is displayed on a large screen.
To promote health and safety, the university expects that all attendees will be fully vaccinated, and will require them to wear a face covering while they are inside the facility. Full vaccination means it has been 14 days since the final vaccine dose was administered.
About 400 graduates plus up to four guests per graduate are anticipated at each of the ceremonies. In addition to graduates, only guests with tickets can attend. Both ceremonies will be live-streamed at https://www.uvmcommencement.com for those unable to attend in person. A recording of the ceremonies will be posted a week later on the Class of 2020 Commencement website.
While no streets will be closed during the commencement ceremonies, there will be increased traffic on Spear Street and Main Street, especially around the jug handle, and minor delays are possible immediately before and after each ceremony. The area will be staffed by UVM Police Services and the university’s traffic control personnel. There will be no modifications to the regular flow of traffic.
About the University of Vermont
Since 1791, the University of Vermont has worked to move humankind forward. UVM’s strengths align with the most pressing needs of our time: the health of our societies and the health of our environment. Our size—large enough to offer a breadth of ideas, resources, and opportunities, yet intimate enough to enable close faculty-student mentorship across all levels of study—allows us to pursue these interconnected issues through cross-disciplinary research and collaboration. Providing an unparalleled educational experience for our students, and ensuring their success, are at the core of what we do. As one of the nation’s first land grant universities, UVM advances Vermont—and the broader society—through the discovery and application of new knowledge.
UVM is derived from the Latin “Universitas Viridis Montis” (University of the Green Mountains)