Mount Hosts Historic In-Person Commencement

5/13/2021

Cheering for the White and the Gold: Congratulations Mount Graduates!

The Class of 2021 has much to celebrate.

Globally, college students have faced enormous challenges related to the pandemic—but Mount students have remained diligent. They’ve committed to keep our campus community safe and in-seat, they’ve strived to balance their academics between remote and in-person learning, and they’ve adjusted to a new way of living, in and outside the classroom.

Now, most importantly, our soon-to-be graduates are ready to celebrate their in-person Commencement—on campus, on the Great Lawn, and under the College’s iconic waterfront tent.

Last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic reached its height, virtual ceremonies and parties—and even special delivery commencement boxes—took the place of crossing the stage and receiving a diploma to the sounds of cheers (and the singing of the White and the Gold) from family and friends.

Unfortunately, the Class of 2020’s celebratory moment was put on pause—their time at the College ended abruptly and they were not able to experience a traditional graduation ceremony. It’s no surprise that many in the Class of 2021 feared the same—their final undergraduate academic year ending with no in-person celebration.

But that changes this year. We’re proud to have announced that we will move forward with various socially distanced, in-person, sized-down graduation ceremonies, inviting both the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020 to walk across the stage and receive their diploma.

This exciting news comes after the College made impressive strides to keep the health and well-being of our community its top priority, improving COVID-19 infection rates, while attentively following public health advisories and guidance.

To best accommodate students and their families, the College will host multiple Commencement events for each class of graduates, with each ceremony allowing students to bring two guests in attendance.

For the Class of 2021, graduates will attend one of four ceremonies arranged by academic discipline on May 21 and 22:

Friday, May 21, 2021 at 1 p.m.

Undergraduate Nursing

Friday, May 21, 2021 at 5 p.m.

Accelerated and Graduate Nursing

Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 9 a.m.

Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, General Science, Psychology, and Sociology

Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 1 p.m.

Accounting, Business Administration, Communication, Data Analytics, Economics, English, Fine Arts, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Mathematics, Modern Languages and Literatures, Philosophy, Public Policy, Religious Studies, Studio Art, Teacher Education, Visual Arts and Experimental Media, MBA, and Master of Science

Each ceremony will be approximately one hour, including hooding, departmental medals, College awards, recognition of students graduating honors, conferral of degrees, and pinning for the Friday nursing ceremonies.

As always, all celebrations will be livestreamed for those who cannot physically attend. You may access the specific livestream sessions above by date, or may visit our University of Mount Saint Vincent livestream page to explore live and upcoming events. We look forward to our community coming together on campus and from afar to cheer on our graduates as they celebrate this monumental achievement.

And as for the Class or 2020, we are hard at work finalizing plans for ceremonies that will be held from June 25-27. Please know we are mindful of families’ needs for advanced planning and we will share additional details soon.

With goodness and discipline and knowledge today, and always—congratulations!

About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of professional accomplishment, service, and leadership in the 21st century.