Stephens College announces the decision to postpone spring Commencement ceremonies from early May to late August 2020 due to guidance and restrictions related to the coronavirus.
The College chose to delay, rather than move its ceremonies to a virtual event format — or to cancel them completely — as many colleges and universities have done.
“Graduation is a very special time at Stephens so we made the promise to our seniors that they would have an in-person ceremony,” said Dr. Dianne Lynch, president of Stephens College. “We’ll gather to do so in late August when we can all be together again safely to celebrate our graduates.”
The Graduate and Online Commencement will be held on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, at 6 p.m. in the Kimball Ballroom of Lela Raney Wood Hall on the Stephens campus. The Undergraduate Commencement will follow on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, at 11 a.m. at the Missouri Theatre.
Stephens also has in the works for the weekend of Commencement an all-day undergraduate Senior Showcase, where graduating seniors will present their work — their fashion designs, films, research posters/papers, publications and capstone presentations — to an audience of friends and family.
The decision to move the event to August will also allow returning underclass students to celebrate with and honor their friends who are graduating. Plans are in process to ensure a meaningful and traditional ceremony within the public health guidelines.
For more information, visit the Commencement web page.