January of 2020 changed the lives of many. The national coronavirus pandemic struck the United States, ultimately changing things instantly. Airports, schools, jobs and stores across the world were shutting down one by one. It seemed that things would never be the same or that it would be a long time before things could go back to normal. Initially, Americans were told that it would take years before we would receive a vaccine. But with new technologies and advancements in science, a vaccine was made available faster than ever. There are currently three authorized and recommended vaccines available to prevent COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over 334 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. With the continuation of practicing safety and social distancing guidelines, the U.S. and countries around the world have begun to slowly recover from all the damage done. Reopening states, stores and even returning to on-campus face-to-face classes for many schools and universities. The graduating class of 2020 made history hosting commencement ceremonies completely virtual with drive-in graduate celebrations. For many, it was heartbreaking, going through years of school just to have your diploma or degree delivered via mail. As the class of 2021 began to prepare their graduation plans, many of them hoped that graduation would return in-person, especially since sporting events were being held and facilities began to reopen to full-capacity.
In a letter addressed to students at Florida State University, President John Thrasher announced that commencement ceremonies would be hosted in-person but differently than usually performed in the past. A total of 11 smaller ceremonies will be held to accommodate graduates and their families while respecting the university and state COVID-19 guidelines. Up to four guests will be allowed per graduate with assigned seating, keeping families in the same household together.
Below is a full list of the 11 condensed commencement ceremonies:
Saturday, April 17 at 9 a.m.
Arts and Sciences: Computer Science and Psychology
Saturday, April 17 at 2 p.m.
Arts and Sciences: Biological Science; Chemistry and Biochemistry; College STEM Teaching; Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science; Mathematics; Physics; Scientific Computing; Statistics
Saturday, April 17 at 7 p.m.
Arts and Sciences: Anthropology; Classics; English; History; Humanities; Modern Languages & Linguistics; Philosophy; Religion; Women’s Studies
College of Music: All academic Departments/Programs
Sunday, April 18 at 2 p.m.
College of Nursing: College of Education; College of Applied Studies: All academic Departments/Programs
Sunday, April 18 at 7 p.m.
Dedman College of Hospitality: Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship; College of Fine Arts; College of Medicine (undergraduates and Doctor of Philosophy students only): All academic Departments/Programs
Friday, April 23 at 9 a.m.
Social Sciences and Public Policy: Economics; Geography; International Affairs; Political Science; Public Health
Friday, April 23 at 2 p.m.
Social Sciences and Public Policy: African American Studies; Asian Studies; Demography; Social Science; Latin American Caribbean Studies; Askew School of Public Administration and Policy; Sociology; Urban and Regional Planning
College of Human Sciences: All Academic Departments/Programs
Friday, April 23 at 7 p.m.
College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering: All academic Departments/Programs
Saturday, April 24 at 9 a.m.
College of Business: Accounting, Finance, Business Analytics, Information Systems and Supply Chain
Saturday, April 24 at 2 p.m.
College of Business: Business Administration; Management; Marketing; Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate and Legal Studies
Saturday, April 24 at 7 p.m.
College of Communication and Information; College of Social Work: All academic Departments/Programs
Sunday, April 25 at 11 a.m.
College of Law
The university urges individuals to keep track of developing situations and be on the lookout for updates from the university, should there be a change necessary.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Youtube and Pinterest!