Dear Seniors in the College:
I hope this message finds you and your families safe and well. I write to share the University of Chicago’s alternative planning for the virtual 533rd Convocation and Class Day ceremonies for graduating seniors in the College, occasioned by COVID-19 and our concern for your safety.
While we wish we could celebrate you in person, the College remains immensely proud of you. The following events and activities will take place to honor graduating College seniors remotely in 2020, and to celebrate your accomplishments on campus in 2021.
2020 Virtual Graduation
Class Day, the College’s student-orchestrated event that celebrates the graduating class, its achievements, and its unique contributions to the UChicago community, will take place remotely at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 12, 2020. Students and families will receive an evite with a link to view the event.
The 533rd Convocation ceremony, a University-wide ceremony that includes the verbal conferring of degrees by the University president, will take place remotely on Saturday, June 13, 2020.
The College Diploma Ceremonies, the presentation of degrees to undergraduate students, will take place remotely from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., CT, on Sunday, June 14, 2020. Students and families will receive an invitation to their virtual diploma ceremony soon. For advance planning purposes, ceremony times by hall are listed below. All times are provided in the central standard time zone.
- Max Palevsky: 10 a.m.
- Renee Granville-Grossman East: 10 a.m.
- Snell-Hitchcock: 11 a.m.
- Campus North Residential Commons East: 11 a.m.
- Renee Granville-Grossman West: 12 p.m.
- Burton-Judson: 1 p.m.
- International House and Stony Island: 1 p.m.
- Campus North Residential Commons East: 2 p.m.
As previously communicated, the College wants to ensure that you experience the honor of dressing in academic regalia, the symbol of your accomplishments. For this reason, the College will cover regalia costs for all members of the Class of 2020. Please place your order by visiting the Academic Regalia page on the Convocation website by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2020. Regalia will be mailed to students as orders are placed.
In addition, students who have not provided the pronunciation of their name for use during the diploma ceremony should do so by logging back into the graduation application in the My.UChicago portal.
2021 On-Campus Celebration of the Class of 2020
The College will host students and families on the University’s Hyde Park campus on June 5, 2021, for an in-person celebration of the Class of 2020 during Alumni Weekend. A four-day, campus-wide celebration with more than 100 events, Alumni Weekend is a time to reconnect with friends and share your Maroon pride. Alumni Weekend 2021 will include a special first Reunion Celebration for the Class of 2020, in addition to the College’s event.
We know you are disappointed to be separated during this momentous time. We in the College share your disappointment and will continue to do all that we can to support you.
We look forward to honoring your accomplishments, this and next year.
With my best wishes,
John W. Boyer
Dean of the College
The University of Chicago