UW Adds In

Responding to expressions of support for an in-person graduation experience, the University of Wyoming has decided to conduct its 2021 spring commencement with face-to-face ceremonies that are livestreamed.

The events are being targeted to take place Friday and Saturday, May 14-15.

Up to four abbreviated, in-person ceremonies will be conducted in the Arena-Auditorium, with each graduate allowed a limited number of guest tickets. Social distancing and face masks will be observed in the seating of both the graduates and their guests.

Graduates also will have the opportunity to participate in commencement virtually, as the university announced previously.

“As we heard from so many soon-to-be graduates and their families regarding their desire to have an in-person graduation experience -- and in light of the very positive outcome of our ongoing measures to manage the spread of the virus -- we took another look at the situation and decided it would be possible to offer smaller, shorter, in-person ceremonies while maintaining our COVID-19 requirements,” UW President Ed Seidel says. “While these events have to be modified from the full traditional ceremony that is one of our annual highlights at UW, this approach will give those graduates who desire it an opportunity to walk across the stage and be recognized for their achievements.”

The ceremonies each will feature an abbreviated program of speakers, followed by the awarding of degrees. There will be no processional or recessional, and the stage party will be limited. The facility will be thoroughly cleaned between ceremonies.

More details about the ceremonies will be provided later, including dates, times and ticketing information. Spring 2021 graduates will be given further instructions about the RSVP deadline by the end of March for the in-person ceremonies. Students who wish to participate will have to RSVP by the specified deadlines to allow for appropriate planning in advance of the ceremonies. Once it’s determined how many spring 2021 graduates are participating, it’s possible that alumni who graduated in spring 2020 and fall 2020 may be allowed to participate as well.

For more details on commencement as they become available, go to www.uwyo.edu/commencement.