UCCS will hold a virtual commencement ceremony on Friday, May 14 at 1:00 p.m., according to a campus wide email from UCCS Chancellor Venkat Reddy sent on Thursday afternoon. For graduates who would like to celebrate in person, the university will hold the first-ever “Picture on the Plaza” celebration the following week.
The campus wide email reported news that Spring 2021 commencement will take place in two formats: UCCS will once again be holding a virtual commencement but this time with an in-person photo opportunity for graduating students.
“After more than a year of uncertainty, we are finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. With COVID-19 vaccines rolling out across the nation, we can begin to plan – cautiously, but optimistically – for brighter days ahead,” Reddy wrote.
If the weather permits, graduates will be able to have a professional photo taken on El Pomar Plaza. “This in-person, outdoor celebration will symbolize the completion of graduates’ studies at UCCS and the beginning of their next phase of life.”
Spring, summer and fall graduates of the Classes of 2020 are also invited to participate in the “Picture on the Plaza” celebration.
“Our graduates have dedicated years to earning their degrees, and we are all looking forward to recognizing their accomplishments. I’m overjoyed that, due to improving public health conditions, we are able to add an in-person component to the celebrations,” Venkat wrote.
Registration information for graduates will be sent out the week of March 8.
At this time, there are no further details, but “additional information, including viewing links for the virtual ceremony, will be distributed closer to the event.”
Visit commencement.uccs.edu to apply for graduation, prepare for the virtual commencement and submit a photo. The deadline to complete these actions is Thursday, March 11.
Photo courtesy of Chuck Bigger and UCCS photo database.