Spalding President Tori Murden McClure sent the following message to the campus community on Monday, March 22, 2021:
Dear Spalding Community,
There is no more joyful and momentous occasion at Spalding University than Commencement. That’s why I am happy to announce that we will be safely returning to in-person Commencement activities this year, conducting a series of smaller graduation ceremonies on campus the first week of June that will be divided up by academic discipline. Provost Burden and I will attend each ceremony to confer degrees.
In addition to our 2021 graduates, 2020 graduates will also be invited back to participate in this year’s Commencement if they would like.
The individual ceremonies also will be streamed online for those who want or need to watch from home.
Here are additional Commencement details:
Dates and times
In order to avoid heavy crowds and traffic at any one time, the ceremonies will be held one at a time and scheduled throughout the day on Thursday, June 3; Friday, June 4; and Saturday, June 5. They likely will be held indoors at the Columbia Gym Auditorium, the College Street Ballroom or the Troutman Lectorium of the Egan Leadership Center.
Graduates should expect to receive more information soon from your school or academic program about the specific time, date and location that applies to you.
Masks required
The ceremonies will be conducted in accordance with local and state safety guidelines and by the standards we have set for our own university.
All attendees must be symptom-free and will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing outside of their immediate family/group.
To further ensure that our commencement activities are as safe as possible, we strongly encourage everyone to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are eligible. Gov. Beshear announced last week that he expects all Kentuckians 16 years and older to be able to sign up for vaccines starting April 12.
Two guests per graduate
In order to ensure safe distancing between attendees, each graduate will be limited to two guests.
Some programs will have a virtual Commencement
Two academic programs – the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy and the School of Creative and Professional Writing – will be having virtual Commencement ceremonies instead of in person.
Plan to order regalia
Graduates should plan to order graduation regalia. Spalding’s Campus Store will be handling regalia orders through the vendor Jostens, and more information about purchasing will be sent soon. The Campus Store is located on the south end of the ELC, 901 S. Fourth St., and can be reached at (502) 585-7108 or at sustore@spalding.edu.
The Registrar will also send information with instructions and deadlines for applying for graduation. Be on the lookout for that in the coming weeks.
We are excited that these smaller ceremonies will safely provide our graduates with a memorable, meaningful day of recognition and celebration after all that they’ve accomplished.
Thank you and congratulations to both the Class of 2021 and Class of 2020. We can’t wait to see you walk across the stage in your cap and gown while sharing the experience with your loved ones and the classmates, faculty and staff you know best.
All the best,
Tori Murden McClure
President, Spalding University