Commencement 2020 Update & Poll

Dear Goucher Seniors,

I hope this email finds you and your family well, and that you are adjusting to our new online learning realities. As the weather begins to turn to spring, I imagine that you must be missing campus as much as we miss seeing you here.

As promised, given that the prospect of holding a traditional commencement ceremony at the end of this semester is no longer possible, we have begun exploring several alternate options for Commencement. Following my previous email, I heard from a number of you who made it very clear to me that you want an in-person, on-campus commencement celebration.

We heard you. You have worked long and hard, and made a considerable investment of both time and money in your education and the pursuit of a college degree. The last thing we want to do is to diminish that achievement nor your opportunity to celebrate this important milestone with friends and family.

To that end, I’d like to invite you to take a poll [link removed, but emailed to seniors] indicating your preferred date for a deferred commencement ceremony. We’re proposing four different possibilities. We’d like to ask that you submit your response by Friday, April 10 so we can settle on a date and begin the planning for baccalaureate, convocation, and the other important affinity ceremonies as soon as possible. All of these events make up the incredibly special Goucher senior experience, and we will do all we can to ensure that you can participate to the fullest extent possible.

Please note that as the coronavirus pandemic continues to evolve, we remain hopeful that all these dates will continue to be viable options for a celebration worthy of your many accomplishments. However, we will continue to evaluate circumstances periodically and be in touch with you should conditions warrant a change in plans.

Once again, thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate these challenging times. You can expect additional updates about our new commencement plans in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,

Kent