NC State has shown their 2020 graduates that their "we hear you and we see you" is followed by a silent "but we're not going to do anything about it."
2020 graduates finished our degrees 5 months to a year ago. Due to COVID-19, our graduation was postponed, but we were promised a real ceremony to celebrate our accomplishments at a later date. With all the time that has passed, our feelings have not changed about the fact that 2020 graduates did not get the graduation ceremonies we deserve, and NC State has not fulfilled their promise to us.

NC State wants the class of 2020 to be pacified with the short performative video they put out in December. A video that didn't even recognize students and all of our hard work. If the goal were actually to celebrate students, departments/programs would have at least been allowed to have outside, masked, departmental ceremonies. Sure it takes more work, but if you care about your students, you do it!

Many institutions have announced plans of in-person graduation and commencement ceremonies for this spring and have been sure to include their Spring, Summer, and Fall 2020 graduates in their exercises. NC State's excuse is they have capacities and they are also working with covid-19 restrictions. So are other institutions. The difference is when you care about your students and alumni that make your institution so "prestigious," YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN. You "think and do." 2020 graduates should not be deprived of a proper celebration if the classes before and after us are provided one.

NC State has the option to include us, and we need your voices to make it happen. We should either participate in the class of 2021 commencement exercises or commencement ceremonies for 2020 graduates and 2021 graduates should be hosted on separate weekends. Whatever the University chooses, it needs to be an option that shows they have not forgotten their 2020 graduates!