CLEVELAND, Miss.— Delta State University is pleased to announce plans to host in-person commencement exercises in celebration of its Spring 2021 graduates.
The University will host three commencement ceremonies at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 30, in the Walter Sillers Coliseum, located on DSU’s campus. A live stream of the ceremonies will also be available at www.deltastate.edu.
Delta State President William N. LaForge said the decision to host in-person graduation ceremonies was made in the interest of providing students and their families with the best possible graduation experience, while also maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols.
“Our decision to move to an in-person event is premised both on our current experience with low numbers of positive COVID-19 cases on campus, and on our expectation that all participants in the graduation ceremonies will adhere closely to the protocols, including mask-wearing and social distancing,” said LaForge.
“I am very pleased that we can make this adjustment for our graduates, who deserve our public recognition and congratulations on their special day,” he added.
Graduates participating in the ceremony will receive four guest tickets each. Due to COVID-19 seating limitations, additional tickets will not be available; however, graduates are encouraged to share the live stream with guests unable to attend in-person.
To ensure the safety of students, employees and guests, all attendees will be required to wear a face-covering throughout the ceremony, adhere to social distancing guidelines and complete a temperature check prior to entry into the coliseum.
While adherence to DSU’s COVID-19 protocols necessitate some modifications, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Charles McAdam said the university is excited to once again celebrate this important milestone with graduates.
“We are very pleased to offer an in-person celebration for our Spring 2021 graduates. Our students have worked hard, and our graduates have earned the opportunity to be publicly recognized and celebrated for their achievements,” he said.
McAdams believes the modified in-person ceremonies are a step forward in the return to normalcy for the DSU community.
“I know we all hope an improving health environment over the next several months will enable us to return to Commencement ceremonies as we have had them in the past,” he said.
Graduating seniors are encouraged to check their University e-mail for additional details regarding participation in the ceremonies.
For additional details about Delta State’s Spring 2021 Commencement Exercises, visit www.deltastate.edu/academic-affairs/registrars-office.
