As many know, the original commencement ceremony for 2020 graduates of the Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business was postponed to May 2021 due to COVD-19, and then again to Memorial Day Weekend 2022. 

Mendoza Alumni Relations sent out its first communication regarding the college's commencement itinerary on March 21st, and then again on Tuesday, May 3rd at 8am***. In these emails, they invited graduates to attend the "Mendoza Celebration Brunch"  However, Mendoza failed to adequately communicate that this celebratory brunch would not be IN ADDITION to a formal graduation/diploma ceremony, but rather in place of one. After speaking with numerous members of Mendoza's faculty and staff, it has been confirmed that 2020 Mendoza graduates will not have a formal graduation or diploma ceremony at all, and will not be given the opportunity to walk the graduation stage, have their name called, etc. However, it does not go amiss that other schools (the Law School and the Graduate School) were able to accommodate formal commencement/diploma ceremonies for their 2020 graduates. 

The class of 2020 has been through enough- waiting two years to celebrate an immense academic achievement, all while the University hosts packed money-grab events, such as football games and concerts. Graduates were hardly notified that they would not have a formal ceremony. In fact, the university never explicitly states so in any email communications.

Whether you are a 2020 Mendoza Grad, member of the ND family, or a nonaffiliated supporter, we ask you to please sign this petition, in the hopes that Mendoza will host a proper commencement and diploma ceremony, where all 2020 grads will be recognized for the time, hard work, and money that they poured into Notre Dame. After all of the sacrifices we have made to attend, we simply want to return to South Bend for what was promised to us, and to be respected alumni of such a prestigious university. 

If you are a 2020 Mendoza graduate, please take the time to fill out this additional survey, which we are using to present data to the university.

Thank you, and go Irish!

***The original petition post stated that the first email communication from Mendoza Alumni Relations was on May 3rd. We have edited this post to reflect that the first email communication about the Brunch was in fact March 21st, 2022.