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APSU hosts virtual celebration for May 2020 graduates

virtual celebration

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – At noon on Friday, May 8, Austin Peay State University students and their families across the globe gathered around cell phones and laptop computers to celebrate the May graduating class of 2020. Earlier in the year, the University planned to host its annual spring commencement on that day, but in March, the coronavirus pandemic caused Austin Peay to postpone the event.

Instead of simply letting the day pass, the University decided to host a virtual celebration for the graduating students. The celebration was accessible on the University’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/austinpeay/, and at https://www.apsu.edu/commencement/. Austin Peay remains committed to inviting the May graduates back to campus to participate in Commencement when it is safe to do so.

“Congratulations Govs, you crossed the finish line, you made it,” APSU President Alisa White said at the beginning of the virtual celebration. “You know what, today I was hoping to be able to shake your hand and say congratulations on your graduation, and there will be opportunities to do that later, but I didn’t want the day to go by without saying how proud I am of you.”

For the last few weeks, the University asked graduating students to send in photos of themselves from their time on campus. The images were used in a video montage as part of the day’s virtual celebration. A list of the May 2020 graduates was also posted at https://www.apsu.edu/commencement/?fbclid=IwAR3ATmngfsHTydUXVi0bPHw88opzHlL3pA5BHu7qNq02U1qw2PE8EQKPqys.

Earlier in the day, the University’s colleges sent video congratulatory messages to their graduating students. The College of Arts and Letters and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, for example, shared video montages of professors congratulating APSU’s graduates on social media and through email. The Eriksson College of Education also published a video celebration, and The College of Business hosted a special virtual celebration on Thursday evening. 

For more information on APSU’s commencement ceremonies, visit www.apsu.edu/commencement.