In light of COVID-19,

The Seattle Pacific University Office of the President and the Commencement Team have decided to cancel in-person commencement for June 14. This is a safe precaution and that is completely understood and respected. However, we all understand just how frustrating and disheartening this is to all college students who only dream of walking across a stage after attending a 4-year university. UCLA who has also decided to do a virtual commencement, used this in their announcement, and I quote: “The Day Does Not Define The Journey”. I, many fellow students, as well as family members, could not disagree more with that statement. Any kind of commencement, celebration, ceremony, concluding remarks absolutely are defining of our journey which is why we place so much weight on them. This why we spend thousands of dollars on over-priced regalia, plane tickets, white dresses and suits, hotel rooms, graduation photos, announcements, rings... the list goes on. It is the one weekend/day where your entire 4 YEARS of not sleeping, incredibly difficult exams, unnecessarily tough professors, summers spent away from family and friends at UNPAID internships for some form of class credit, is essentially recognized. The day itself is not literally those moments, but the day itself is 100% what we all work this hard for on top of our degree(s). I’m not even going to go deeper into what the level of work and types of commitment this is for student-athletes but it should recognized that they put in a hell of a lot. While many of us do not expect an in-person graduation or any kind of in-person gathering for a while in light of Coronavirus pandemic, we are strongly suggesting that the Office of the President and the Commencement team and other necessary faculty members attempt to figure something out in terms of post-poning an in-person ceremony, or even allowing the class of 2020 to walk with other graduating classes such as the graduating class next year (2021). There should not be shock by how many people would book ANOTHER SET of flights to come back to Seattle from wherever they are to watch their children, family, siblings, friends walk across that stage. Please do not allow the class of 2020 to be remembered by a pictorial upload and a Zoom graduation ceremony. That is not even close to enough of what any college student deserves, but especially this class of 2020 who has, AT ALL LEVELS, been stripped of nearly everything left of this year. We all understand and are confident SPU is doing their best with information they are given and possess, but we do hope this email strongly urges the University and necessary faculty to reconsider.