What Will Happen to Students Graduating During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Having faced exclusion from campus for the final weeks of their university education, college students must now come to terms with the prospect of cancelled graduation ceremonies as the coronavirus compelled widespread closure of campuses.  Though some universities are holding out for a rapid resolution to the pandemic, and have tentatively planned to hold spring commencement in May, others have committed to virtual ceremonies, while many have cancelled commencement altogether.

In the face of these unprecedented events, the Unemployed Professors team has taken it upon itself to keep you informed of the most recent developments.

One of the most telling responses to cancellation of commencement has been the coordination of students in protest.  Many open letters have been penned to university administrations across the country.  At Indiana’s Butler University, almost two thousand students signed a letter petitioning the institution to reschedule commencement.  A similar document was signed by 1,200 Georgetown students, requesting a postponement in place of outright cancellation.  Students commonly feel that being deprived of this important ritual is a cruel act that dishonors all the hard work and sacrifice of the past four years.

Allie Moffett, the Butler senior who launched the petition speaks eloquently of this plight, “For a lot of us, it’s the completion of a really trying but amazing period of our lives. To not only have our last weeks of being college students taken away but having that final gathering as a family taken away for us, that’s really hard to accept.”

In the end, these seniors will likely have to accept that the best result will be a compromise – a virtual ceremony that lacks the key component of camaraderie these ceremonies evoke.  While Americans struggle through months of self-quarantine, the economy enters freefall, and many experience the terrifying onset of covid symptoms, university administrators are working diligently to assure students that, despite the compromises and cancellations, their experience has been profoundly significant.

Jason Cook, a Baylor University administrator, voiced the position of most of his peers: “We understand this is an unprecedented time but we also know it’s a very stressful time for students. The key thing we are focusing on is to ensure students can complete their academic requirements and they will have a Baylor diploma and a Baylor ring. The value of those two items remains unchanged.”

At Unemployed Professors, we are of the same opinion.  Graduating students should invest time in studying the virus and understanding the full scope of its threat.  Recognizing the true danger of holding a mass gathering, it is easier to accept its cancellation, regardless of its symbolic importance.  Remember that nothing can take away your hard work, edification, and personal growth that you fought so hard for these past four years.

With that in mind, ask the team of academic professionals at UnemployedProfessors.com any questions you may have regarding their college writing services and they will be more than happy to guide you along the arduous path!