UM Ann Arbor Goes Virtual for Spring Commencement

The University of Michigan will once again go virtual for their spring commencement.

Graduating students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor will now be attending commencement virtually. University officials have announced that the commencement ceremony for Spring 2021 will be held virtually on Saturday, May 1st at noon.

We very much wish that we could hold a safe Commencement in Michigan Stadium, along with the many other celebration activities that are a fundamental part of our community life and traditions. Commencement is the most joyous event of the academic year for many in our community, as we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and draw inspiration from the achievements they will share with our world...said University of Michigan President Mark S. Schlissel.

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So what does that mean for students that are graduating? Due to the ongoing pandemic, all the Spring 2021 Commencement events will be held virtually with no in-person experiences. The University of Michigan provided this explanation as to why there won't have an in-person ceremony.

The decision to host a virtual ceremony came after conversations with graduating students, a survey of our May graduates, and much discussion with university leaders and consultation with public health officials. Currently, we remain under prudent restrictions on gathering sizes, and we do not know what public health measures will need to be in place in May. It's also impossible now to predict factors such as infection and vaccination rates, travel guidelines and when state and local limits on gatherings may change. We know that many students remained at their permanent residence for the winter semester, and asking them to travel to campus would not be appropriate.

For more information on the University of Michigan Spring 2021 Commencement, click here. 

Source: University of Michigan