In my opinion, the University of Louisville’s decision to postpone the May 2020 commencement all the way until December’s usual ceremony was a lazy and careless one. Instead of giving current seniors whose senior year (which we PAID for) has been COMPLETELY RUINED our OWN ceremony, they are lumping us in with the December graduates. We already are no longer able to experience making our last memories as a senior class whether that be last sporting events, last meetings with our RSOs and community groups, and other senior celebrations as we are being forced to finish our degrees online. Now we will also not have the opportunity to have our own ceremony, as every other senior class has been able to have before us. As a current graduating senior myself, I will have already been fully moved to another city and will have been teaching for nearly 6 months once December comes, so how and also why would I come all the way back to Louisville to throw on a cap and gown and be pushed into another group’s ceremony? I am sure many other students are in the same boat as many move to different cities and even overseas by the end of the summer post graduation. I especially think about international students who came to UofL from other countries during this time, as well as first generation grads and my fellow students of color who have to work twice as hard to cross this finish line.

As a young black woman who is an MLK, Jr. and Woodford R. Porter Scholar and who worked her butt off writing a senior honors thesis. As someone who would be the first in my family to have a proper undergraduate commencement ceremony. As a student who worked tirelessly through the Engage Lead Serve Board to improve this campus for everyone for years. Today I am starting this petition for the University of Louisville to recognize the achievement’s of the May 2020 graduating class with their OWN ceremony that could be held at the end of the Summer or perhaps even in August. Please help me by signing this petition. Thank you so much.