Here’s what UM, FIU, MDC, FMU and others are doing about in-person graduations this spring
In Florida, most students who graduated from college in 2020 couldn’t walk across a stage or smile and post photos of friends and family on social media because of the surging coronavirus pandemic.
That might be different for the Class of 2021.
Despite COVID-19, some Florida universities are planning to bring back the pomp and circumstance, albeit with COVID-mandated restrictions on guests and social distancing protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In late February, two of the largest state universities announced they would hold in-person graduation ceremonies for spring-semester graduates. These will be the first non-virtual commencement events since December 2019 for both the University of Florida, based in Gainesville, and Florida State University in Tallahassee, the state’s capital in the Panhandle.
UF will hold 14 ceremonies from April 29 to May 3. FSU will hold 11 commencement ceremonies spread over the final two weekends in April. Both schools said they will follow the CDC safety protocols.
In South Florida, many universities and colleges are leaning toward something similar.
Here’s a roundup of how South Florida universities and colleges will handle spring graduations:
Miami Dade College
MDC, one of the largest community colleges in the country, will once again hold in-person commencement ceremonies in the spring like it did in the fall, Juan Mendieta, a spokesman for the college, told the Herald in an email.
“We just finalized plans for a safe, socially distanced, in-person graduation,” he wrote.
The three outdoor events will take place May 1 at Marlins Park in Miami. The North, Medical and West campus students will graduate at 8:30 a.m. The Kendall, Homestead and Padron campus students will graduate at 1:30 p.m. The Wolfson and Hialeah campus students will graduate at 6:30 p.m.
Only students, college trustees, and select faculty and administrators will attend, but the ceremonies will be live streamed. Friends and family of the students are not allowed in person, although they can watch the webcast.
MDC will enforce safety protocols like facial coverings, temperature checks at the entrances and sanitizing stations.
Florida International University
FIU, the largest public university based in Miami, will host in-person commencement ceremonies April 24 and 25 at the Riccardo Silva Stadium at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus, President Mark Rosenberg announced Tuesday.
“While ceremonies will be a scaled-back version of our traditional ceremonies to accommodate safety measures, they will be full of Panther spirit,” he said.
Class of 2020 graduates can participate. Each graduate will receive tickets for three guests. Attendees must wear a face covering, stay physically distanced and wash hands often or use hand sanitizer.
FIU will also hold pre-commencement caravans, which lets students stop by at a specific point on campus before the ceremony to purchase graduation gear, a class ring and take portraits, March 30 and 31.
University of Miami
Megan Ondrizek, a UM spokeswoman, said the largest private university in South Florida plans to hold in-person commencement ceremonies at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on May 12 (law and medical degrees), May 13 (graduate doctoral and masters’ degrees) and May 14 (undergraduate degrees).
UM held all-virtual ceremonies in 2020.
“We are working closely with public health experts from UHealth and the stadium’s staff to develop and prepare to implement necessary safety protocols for an in-person gathering,” she said.
Each UM graduate will be allowed to bring up to four guests.
Florida Memorial University
FMU, South Florida’s only Historically Black College and University, is planning an in-person commencement following CDC guidelines on May 8, said university spokeswoman Opal Comfort in an email to the Herald on Thursday.
The event will be held outdoors, with masks and seating spaced 6 feet apart at its Miami Gardens campus. It will also be live streamed for those unable to attend.
Barry University
Barry University President Dr. Mike Allen announced Tuesday that the university plans to host an in-person graduation ceremony at Marlins Park at 10 a.m. May 10 for spring 2021, as well as spring 2020 and fall 2020 graduates.
“Graduation is a special time for our University community and I am thrilled that, pandemic conditions permitting, we will again send forth our graduates into the world during an in-person ceremony full of energy and the visible excitement at all that lies ahead with their Barry degree,” Allen said.
Only graduates, their ticketed guests, and faculty, staff and trustees will be allowed to attend the ceremony. Barry will follow CDC guidelines and live stream the event.
St. Thomas University
A spokesperson from STU, a private school in Miami Gardens, contacted by the Herald for this story did not respond.
Broward College
Christine Bucan, a spokeswoman for Broward College, told the Herald the college hasn’t announced its plans for spring commencement yet, but will likely do so in the coming weeks.
Nova Southeastern University
NSU, a private university based in Fort Lauderdale, announced that it would hold in-person commencement ceremonies this spring, the first since the pandemic began last year.
“We are keenly aware of the significance wearing graduation caps and gowns and receiving a diploma in person is for students as a way to mark a milestone in their lives,” the university said in press release. “So returning to some semblance of normalcy this year was important.”
However, with a caveat: The school will make a final decision April 15 based on how high the state positivity rate of COVID cases is by then.
If it’s under 5 percent in Florida, NSU will grant degrees to more than 8,500 graduates. If the positivity rate is higher than that, the commencement ceremonies will be held online.
Tentatively, the NSU events are scheduled to take place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens from May 16-19. The ceremonies are scheduled to be held outside, where the risk of infection is lower. NSU will also require masks, 6-foot distancing and adhere to other CDC guidelines.
Florida Atlantic University
In a statement sent to the FAU community, President John Kelly announced the Boca Raton-based public university will hold graduation ceremonies this spring, adding he considers commencement “a fundamental component of the educational experience.”
FAU plans to host and webcast two outdoor ceremonies April 29 in the FAU Stadium. In case it rains, the events will be postponed to April 30. If neither day works, the ceremonies will be held online.
“Additional information on which colleges will be assigned to which ceremonies, and information about ticketing for graduates and their guests, will be forthcoming,” Kelly added.
Kelly promised that anyone who graduated from FAU in 2020, when all ceremonies were canceled, will get “the opportunity to participate in a future commencement ceremony” but not this spring.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available. If you have relevant information about spring commencement ceremonies in South Florida, please contact Jimena Tavel at jtavel@miamiherald.com.
This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 6:30 AM.
