Camosun College has postponed its 2020 graduation ceremony due to COVID-19 but has taken the celebration online. Camosun president Sherri Bell says the decision to cancel in-person ceremonies was made at the last possible moment, in hopes of not having to do it, and says it was heartbreaking; 3,000 students would have walked across the stage in a moment of celebration. The ceremonies would have happened June 17 and 18.
“We postponed it [rather than cancelled it] because, from all we were hearing, students still want to do that,” says Bell. “And so when we can come together face to face and have a graduation, we will.”
An online celebration was held on the week of June 15; a video of the events is posted on camosun.ca/grad. In the video, students shared their victories and struggles, the latter of which included dealing with online learning, not being able to celebrate with family or friends, and not being able to say goodbye to instructors. (There is also an alumni section on the grad page, where students can change their social media profile pictures to include a Camosun graduation frame.)
“I know that people are pretty disappointed,” says Bell, adding that students managed to show their positivity in the video. “This is a milestone in life; it’s a culmination of everything students have accomplished throughout their education journey. It’s an important day, so we hope to actually face-to-face share that with students at a different time.”
Bell says that it became clear in the spring that there was no way Camosun could safely have a large crowd in the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence gym, where the graduation ceremony is usually held. But she stresses that students will get the chance to celebrate in person sooner or later.
“I truly believe that any graduating student from Camosun College that wants to walk across the stage, one day, they will be able to,” says Bell.
COVID-19 transmission rates and how soon a vaccine is made are factors for the timeline for when an in-person ceremony can happen, says Bell.
“There’s a lot that we don’t know right now,” she says. “As soon as we do know, and things look like we can have a larger gathering, then we would make a decision.”
The class of 2020 is truly remarkable, says Bell.
“They’ve had to endure more than most. Our thoughts and hearts are with them,” she says. “I certainly wish I could have had students walk across the stage and shake my hand, or give me a hug.”