Northeast Community College to Hold Virtual Commencement Ceremony This Spring

northeast

NORFOLK, Neb. – The 47th annual Commencement Ceremony at Northeast Community College is going to look much different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leah Barrett, president, announced Friday that the Spring 2020 commencement will still be held on Saturday, May 16, but it will be broadcast virtually.

“Northeast, like other colleges in the United States, must change its plans for its 2020 Commencement Ceremony. It must look much different to ensure the health and safety of you and your families and to abide by social distancing expectations during the pandemic,” she said in a video message to students.

The virtual ceremony, which will recognize graduates from summer and fall 2019 and spring 2020, will air on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m., the same date and time as to when the original event was to be held in the Cox Activities Center on the Northeast campus in Norfolk. It will air on Northeast’s television channel KHWK – cable channel 20, and livestreamed at https://team1sports.com/northeastcc/. After that date, the ceremony will be available on demand on the Northeast YouTube Channel.

Barrett said Northeast Community College desires to have the ceremony be special and meaningful for graduates and their family and friends.

“We encourage you to gather with your immediate family and ask your extended family and friends to join all of us virtually for this special occasion.”

The virtual commencement ceremony will feature speakers representing the Board of Governors, faculty and students, followed by recognition of graduates. Instead of walking across the stage as is customarily done during such events, graduates are encouraged to submit photos of themselves so they may be displayed when their names are read during the virtual ceremony.

In addition, Barrett said Northeast would still like to acknowledge this year’s graduates in person when the time of social distancing is lifted.

“You are welcome to walk at any future Northeast Community College Commencement Ceremony and be recognized – this could be in 2021, or when your sibling graduates, or when your children graduate from Northeast. This is life-long promise from us.  We want you to experience this special moment!”

“We are so proud of our graduates,” Barrett said. Although we will all miss the honor of watching them walk across the stage on May 16, our virtual ceremony will provide them and their families an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments.”