Week-long commencement celebrates classes of 2020 and 2021
By IGNACIO VENTURA-MAQUEDA JR AND KACIE YAMAMOTO
With socially distanced chairs dotting the field of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and a total of 14 in-person ceremonies held by individual schools taking place over one week, the USC Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021's commencement looked a bit different than commencement ceremonies held in previous years.
Ceremonies were live broadcasted through the virtual event platform 6Connex. The platform also featured on-demand recordings of each ceremony, a digital copy of program books for both classes, a virtual processional and an online photo booth.
In her commencement address, the first of the week, President Carol Folt acknowledged the 38,000 graduates being celebrated this year. She also recognized the events of the past year, including the coronavirus pandemic and national outcry against racism, hate and social injustice.
"Here at USC, I am inspired daily by the courage and the perseverance that I see," Folt said. "I have been deeply moved as I watched you discover new opportunities to contribute and grow, even during these difficult times. Whatever its impact, COVID didn't derail or defeat you. It certainly didn't define you."
Folt announced USC's plans to host in-person commencement ceremonies for both classes in a Universitywide email in mid-March. Originally, the ceremonies were limited to California residents, before it was expanded to include all students on April 9.
"I think that the fact that they were able to even give us an in-person commencement was really great," said Gregory Huffman, who received a master's degree in physician assistant practice. "It might not have been as functional as last year or run as smoothly as other years, but it was something."
Read more of this article here or the May 18 print edition here.
