DeSales to Host Virtual Conferral of Degrees Ceremony
DeSales University is going virtual to celebrate the Class of 2020. The University will host a virtual conferral of degrees ceremony on Saturday, May 16, at 11:00 a.m.
DeSales has partnered with Full Measure Education to make the ceremony as special as possible. While there’s no stage for graduates to walk across, the ceremony will still have the same look and feel as previous on-campus commencements.
“We wanted to do something virtual because we want to celebrate our students now. We were impressed with Full Measure because they got the feel of the students who are graduating and how they use social media and technology. There’s a social media component to it, which helps enhance the virtual celebration of the event.”
The University will confer degrees upon approximately 508 students, including undergraduates, graduates, and ACCESS students. An additional 96 students, who have either already received their degrees or who will be receiving them in the next several months, will also be recognized.
Kayla Homan, the senior class president, and Father James Greenfield, OSFS ’84, president of DeSales, will both speak during the ceremony. As graduates’ names are read, a slide on the screen will display their name and degree, along with a photo and quote if submitted. Three awards—the Provincial Medal of Honor, the President’s Medal, and the Provost’s Faculty Excellence Award—will also be presented.
Homan and Samantha Mullin, executive president of the Student Government Association (SGA), have been working behind the scenes to provide a student perspective on the virtual ceremony. Even though it’s not the way students expected to graduate, Homan says it will still be a very special day to celebrate and honor students.
“Regardless of how I graduate, I am very fortunate for the memories that I have to look back on. DeSales has given me more than I could ever imagine: lifelong friendships, unforgettable experiences, an incredible education, and the opportunity to grow in my faith. Seeing how the DeSales community has come together during this uncertain time validates why I chose this school.”
Homan and Mullin are also working with the administration to host an on-campus celebration for the Class of 2020 in the fall, possibly during Homecoming weekend in September.