Sinclair plans to hold their 2022 commencement on May 6. This comes after last year’s dual graduations, where two ceremonies were held on the same day.
Of all of the many celebrations that the COVID-19 pandemic affected, graduations were one of the most altered by the virus. The year 2020 saw universal virtual commencement ceremonies in lieu of in-person gatherings. For commencement speeches, many famous celebrities and public figures released videos as a replacement. Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Beyoncé gave speeches for high schools and colleges across the country.
While that was early in the COVID-19 pandemic, since then there have been numerous developments in how the world managed and treated the virus. The year 2021 saw the start of the vaccine rollout and because of that, some schools went back to in-person graduations. However, many schools wanted to stay cautious and Sinclair was no different. Held at the University of Dayton’s Basketball stadium, Sinclair split the class of 2021 in half; one group had their commencement at 10 a.m. and the other at 4 p.m. With approximately five hundred students attending both programs, each was only allowed four family members.
Flash forward to 2022 and Sinclair plans to hold another in-person event for graduation. However, with how quickly the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved over the past two years, it can be hard to know how safe it will be to hold in-person events. While graduation is an incredibly important moment in a student’s life, making sure everyone is as safe as possible is vital as well.
Graduation will take place at UD’s Basketball stadium like last year, starting at 6 p.m. People can watch the ceremony live on YouTube.
Alex Cutler
Reporter