On March 19th, President Loh e-mailed the University of Maryland, College Park, community with some very important updates regarding the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. In these updates, President Loh states “there will not be an in-person 2020 commencement.”

My peers and I have worked 4 tireless years through this university’s system to at LEAST experience ONE in-person commencement. Graduating from college is one of the biggest milestones of your life, one of the last times you’re able to celebrate with the friends you’ve made, a moment that your family who has supported you has been waiting to see, and a moment of personal recognition. There are students who are First-Generation college graduates, receiving special honors and recognition, prevailed from financial, health, and/or social struggles, and students who might have simply worked hard and will never be in school again to celebrate another graduation ceremony. 

As Chancellor Jay Perman of the University System of Maryland stated, “I’d certainly also support in-person commencement gatherings once this period of COVID-19 threat has lifted.” This is President Loh’s premature decision, not the USM’s, to cancel our commencement ceremony without even taking into consideration the thoughts and feelings of my fellow graduates nor our families. Most of us made life changing decisions to receive these degrees, like putting ourselves in a lifetime worth of student debt, just to walk across that stage. If you or a loved one has ever pursued a degree in higher education, you know the path there was not an easy one. Among other disappointments and devastations that COVID-19 has brought to us all in such little time, and all the ones it will bring, not having a commencement ceremony is another blow to our lives, a BIG one. We refuse to accept this decision and are asking for your support to sign this petition to demand a postponed ceremony. Other USM universities such as Towson University have agreed to postpone their in-person commencement ceremonies, as have universities across the nation, so why can't we?

Once you sign this petition, please e-mail the link to President Loh president@umd.edu and Provost Mary Ann Rankin mrankin@umd.edu with #UMDWILLCOMMENCE in the subject. Please share your story as a graduating senior and ideas for a postponed commencement ceremony!

#UMDWILLCOMMENCE

#SEEMEUMD

#UMDCOMMENCEMENT2020