SUNY New Paltz will hold a virtual commencement on May 22 and a live ceremony for this year’s class in May 2021.
The college opted for a pre-recorded commencement ceremony in order to recognize candidates and graduates “in this uncertain time.” Those eligible to participate will be recognized individually through a slide show that features their degree, major, academic honors and a photo and quote of their choice.
“Our number-one priority is to provide our graduates and candidates with the opportunity to return to campus for a safe, in-person commencement celebration next year to recognize their years of hard work and accomplishments in earning a college degree,” said president Donald P. Christian. “While we initially considered a fall ceremony, the uncertainty of the pandemic’s timeline and the lack of a vaccine led us to conclude that a May 2021 in-person ceremony would be most prudent.”
The College will share additional details about a May 2021 in-person celebration at a later date.
The pre-recorded virtual commencement ceremony will not replace an in-person commencement celebration for August 2019, December 2019 and January 2020 graduates, and May 2020 and August 2020 candidates.
New Paltz is organizing the virtual event in collaboration with a third-party company, MarchingOrder, to create virtual graduate and undergraduate ceremonies that will include:
- Brief, pre-recorded Commencement speeches broadcast in accessible video formats.
- Verbal announcements of each individual graduate’s name.
- Customizable slides featuring personal recognition, photos and messages from each graduate.
The virtual ceremonies will be available on a custom website beginning at 1 p.m. (U.S. Eastern Standard Time) on Friday, May 22, so that the graduates and their families and friends can participate from anywhere in the world. The ceremony site will be available for a full year for repeat viewing or for those who are not able to tune in when the event website goes live.
The College will continue to share commencement-related updates and reminders via email, social media and the commencement webpage at www.newpaltz.edu/commencement/.
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