Commencement 2021 Plan

Dear members of the Emerson community,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact all of us on campus and across the country,  we realize that this also includes how we gather to celebrate milestones and achievements. One of our most treasured traditions, Commencement, will be re-imagined this year in light of the ongoing health and safety restrictions that remain in place. 

We have scheduled Commencement 2021 for Sunday, May 9 in a virtual setting that will include many of the elements that students and families have come to expect and love. 

We wish that conditions were such that we could host our graduates, their families and loved ones in person for this momentous occasion. However, we anticipate the pandemic and state and public health guidelines will prevent us from having  a safe, face-to-face experience this year. Currently, indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings are limited to 25.

As such, we are moving forward with planning for an online Commencement 2021 ceremony that will include:

• A guest speaker address
• A Presidential address
• Class of 2021 student speakers
• A reading of the graduates’ names, including slides with student submitted photos

The ceremony, which we anticipate will be 45 minutes in duration, will be viewable online; a link will be shared in advance of the ceremony. Graduates should visit the Commencement website for regular updates on the ceremony plans and specific instructions for participation by graduates.

Commencement is an occasion that all college graduates, their friends and families, and the entire Emerson community looks forward to with excitement and anticipation. The pandemic is forcing us, once again, to rethink how we approach this significant rite of passage. Although the ceremony will be virtual, our graduates can expect that they will be celebrated with all the pomp and circumstance they deserve.

Sincerely,
The Commencement Planning Committee