Washtenaw Community College will honor 1,578 new graduates during a three-day slate of commencement activities capped by a first-ever on-campus parade and celebration.
The events kick off on Thursday, May 20, with a virtual Honors Convocation. High honors (3.8 to 4.0 GPA) and honors (3.5 to 3.79) graduate candidates are among those invited to participate in the ceremony, which will be livestreamed at 4:30 p.m. on the WCC website and on the college's Facebook page. Students, faculty, staff, family, friends and the public may register to attend the ceremony at wccnet.edu/honors-convocation.
On Friday, May 21, a virtual Graduation Salute honoring students who earned associate degrees or certificates will be livestreamed at 6 p.m. on the WCC website and on the college's Facebook page. The salute will include addresses from students, as well as photos and videos of the class of 2021.
On Saturday, May 22, a drive-thru parade across WCC’s 147-acre campus will begin at 10 a.m. and feature a D.J., along with several celebratory and photo opportunity stops along the way. President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca and WCC Board of Trustees members will greet graduates in front of the Student Center.
Graduates from this current school year and 2020 were invited to participate in the Commencement Parade & Celebration, which will last several hours as graduates and their families will arrive at designated times to ensure social distancing. Nearly 450 graduates have registered for the parade. Due to COVID-19 restrictions during the commencement period in 2020, last year’s graduates were celebrated with a virtual salute.
“We are so proud of our graduates. For many, a good portion of their college career has been completed during the unprecedented challenges of a pandemic,” Bellanca said. “The adaptability and commitment these graduates displayed over the past 14 months is remarkable. We congratulate them on their achievements and look forward to learning about all the new paths they’ll forge from the foundations they’ve built at Washtenaw Community College.”
Board of Trustees Chair William G. Milliken Jr. commended graduates on their perseverance and overcoming adversities caused by the pandemic. “On behalf of the Board, I offer our hearty congratulations on all that WCC’s graduates have accomplished, especially in a time of such uncertainty, stress and disruption,” Milliken said.
Tags: Class of 2021, Commencement, Graduation, Honors Convocation, ousearch_News_2021