Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Franciscan University of Steubenville has shut its doors to students and has switched to an online classroom format for the remainder of the semester, similar to many other schools across the country. Unfortunately for the class of 2020, this occurred just 2 months before our projected graduation ceremony. Due to the fact that there still is a great deal of uncertainty on how the virus will continue to spread and affect our nation, our commencement ceremony may be cancelled or moved to an online format. While understanding that this is an unprecedented situation, and that Franciscan wants to do what is best for the common good, I believe that our graduation ceremony should be postponed (not cancelled) to a later date when large gatherings will be acceptable and safe. 

Closure is something that has currently been lost for us seniors. Our last goodbyes, our final two months of together-ness, and the memories that would have been made. Thanks to the close-knit community that Franciscan University offers, it is no coincidence that we have all made life-long friendships during our 3.75 years on campus. I believe that by allowing us to have a final ceremony together as a class (when it is safe to do so) will allow us to feel more at peace with leaving our home away from home and moving on into the real world. Every student at Franciscan looks forward to their "grad week" and to their ceremony where all of their hard work is recognized by their friends, professors, and family. By allowing us to have a postponed ceremony, seniors will be able to have some sort of a make-shift "grad week" and graduation ceremony, and it would be greatly appreciated by all of us who have spent some of the best years of our lives on this campus. 

Please share this and help us to be able to experience a culmination of success from our college years! Thank you!