by
Public Relations and Marketing | Published Apr 21, 2020
To help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, College of Lake County has taken student feedback into consideration and will postpone the traditional Spring Semester commencement ceremony in the Physical Education Center until December 2020.
The ceremony, originally scheduled to take place in person on Saturday, May 16 at the Grayslake Campus’ Physical Education Center, was postponed based on a survey of students, said Jennifer Maller, CLC registrar. “Of the students who have petitioned to graduate, about three times as many preferred a delayed, in-person ceremony to a ceremony conducted virtually,” she said.
CLC President Dr. Lori Suddick said, “When planning commencement or any event, the college’s top priority is the health and safety of our students, their families and all stakeholders. At the same time, we understand our students’ desire to have a meaningful commencement ceremony, with family and loved ones present in person to show their support. Commencement, more than anything else, recognizes the students’ hard work and the college’s commitment to student success.”
Participants in the December 2020 ceremony will include the following:
-
2019 Summer Term Graduates
-
2019 Fall Semester Graduates
-
Students who petitioned for graduation in Spring Semester 2020
-
Students who petition for graduation in Summer Session 2020
Holding the ceremony in December provides an opportunity for those graduates who have already transferred to be home and participate in ceremonies, as well as an opportunity to engage summer and fall 2020 graduates, Maller noted. “There are many details to work through with this option, and more decisions will be made in the coming weeks,” Maller said. “We at CLC want the December commencement celebration to be as amazing as our students. They have been extremely flexible and hardworking throughout the COVID-19 precautions.”
About College of Lake County
The College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. The College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes and is a national leader in many areas, including sustainability and conservation.