PARKERSBURG –West Virginia College at Parkersburg will likely be holding an in-person commencement ceremony in Could, its first because the begin of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Faculty President Chris Gilmer knowledgeable the college’s Board of Governors of the plans throughout their common assembly on Wednesday.
The socially-distanced out of doors graduation will likely be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Could 8, on the again garden of the Parkersburg campus. In case of inclement climate, the occasion will likely be postponed till 2 pm. Saturday, Could 15.
“It’s particularly necessary for our group to have a good time graduation this 12 months,” Gilmer stated. “It’s at all times some of the necessary traditions of any school and a well-deserved recognition of the exhausting work of the graduates and their households.
“As we now have endured the COVID-19 pandemic for therefore lengthy, and at the same time as we should nonetheless stay vigilant to make sure the well being and security of our group, it appears particularly necessary to look at a second of collective pleasure after all of the group and the world have been via this previous 12 months.”
Torie Jackson, Vice President for Institutional Development, stated the college is planning to award 343 levels, together with 110 Bachelor and 233 Affiliate/Certificates to round 300 college students.
At this level, there are 123 ceremony individuals, together with 12 from 2020, she stated.
“This 12 months’s graduation will have a good time not solely those that have earned their credentials through the previous educational 12 months, but additionally those that we weren’t capable of present with a graduation in Could 2020 and December 2020,” Gilmer stated. “I promised them, at the same time as I reluctantly took graduation away due to the pandemic, that we might welcome all of them again the following time we hosted a face-to-face graduation.
“On Could 8, 2021, we hope to honor that promise. We’re internet hosting the occasion exterior in order that we now have considerable room to unfold out and keep correct social distancing.”
Gilmer stated if climate turns into a difficulty, the ceremony is not going to be moved indoors. Additionally, no official receptions will likely be held, to advertise social distancing.
Nevertheless, an outside pinning ceremony for WVU Parkersburg’s scholar nurses will happen following the graduation ceremony and observing the identical protocols.
“This is a vital milestone within the lives of scholar nurses, and we’re pleased to assist them,” Gilmer stated. “We be aware, nevertheless, that they aren’t receiving any particular consideration for his or her occasions which isn’t acquired by the opposite educational packages, as a result of the annual pinning ceremony is the one such educational program which has been a part of WVU-P’s graduation traditions lately.”
Gilmer thanked everybody who’s working exhausting to plan a protected graduation ceremony for the graduates and their households.
“WVU-P was compelled to cancel the Could 2020 graduation and to maneuver the December 2020 graduation to an progressive sequence of particular person occasions,” he stated. “As we start the try and resume some sense of normalcy, the administration decided to permit spring 2021 graduation to maneuver ahead in a restricted approach, recognizing the significance of this milestone to our graduates and to the group.”
Many different schools and universities nationwide are planning comparable occasions together with West Virginia College, he stated.
“WVU-P reserves the best to make any adjustments to present plans which pointers from public well being or different native, state, or federal authorities require, with as a lot advance discover to individuals as potential,” Gilmer stated. “Masks will likely be required for participation despite the fact that the occasion is exterior.”
Jackson will likely be this 12 months’s graduation speaker, She is an alumna of WVU-P and the present senior administrator with the longest service on the school.
In different enterprise, the board confirmed honorary levels for former Board of Governors members Sam Winans and Cheryl Donohoe for the meritorious service they offered which will likely be conferred on the Could graduation.
The college additionally authorised honorary levels for its graduation audio system and authorised one for Jackson for her upcoming speech.
U.S. Marine Corps veteran and West Virginia native Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams, the final dwelling Medal of Honor recipient from World Conflict II, spoke on the school a variety of years again. By an oversight, he was not introduced with a honorary diploma which is the custom for all their graduation audio system. The board authorised Gilmer’s request to rectify that oversight.
Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com