Northeastern Junior College’s Class of 2020 Spring Commencement will go on in spite of the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to modern technology and the cooperation of graduating students. A virtual ceremony, replete with traditional elements of a conventional commencement, is planned for release online at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 30.
“We know it’s distressing that traditional events commemorating these very important milestones in the lives of students have had to be canceled due to the realities of life during this pandemic,” said Jay A. Lee, president of Northeastern. “We decided we owed it to our students to honor the hard work they put in to earn their degrees and certificates up until the pandemic—and especially because they persevered through remote learning to finish in spite of it.”
The college is working with Washington D.C.-based Full Measure Education, a technology company specializing in mobile engagement, to launch its “Virtual Commencement Experience.” Full Measure is coordinating with Northeastern and its graduating students to create an approximately 90-minute commencement scheduled to go “live” on YouTube® the afternoon of May 30. The recorded ceremony will then be available on-demand to view in the weeks and months after the premiere.
“We’re delighted to help Northeastern commemorate such an important event for its students,” said Ben Hills, Full Measure’s product manager. “Like those at many colleges and universities dealing with the constraints of this pandemic this spring, Northeastern’s graduating students won’t be denied the ceremonial recognition they deserve.”
Plans for the in-person ceremonies, which would have been held in the Bank of Colorado Event Center on May 15, were canceled in March. More information about the virtual commencement is available at https://www.njc.edu/virtual-commencement.