The Daily Gamecock

COVID-19 affects honors, OMSA graduation ceremonies

With commencement postponed tentatively to Aug. 7 and 8, some graduation celebrations have been postponed or canceled.

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) has canceled its Multicultural Senior Recognition Ceremony, and the Honors College revocation will take place virtually in late May.  

Shay Malone, the director of OMSA, said the reason behind the office's decision in an email interview.

“This would have been our first year and we want to do this in its full form. Therefore, we will look to do it next academic year,” Malone said.

The Honors College will have a virtual revocation ceremony in late May to celebrate graduates. Ryan Dawkins, the communications coordinator for the Honors College, said in an email interview how this year’s revocation will look.

“We plan to provide the ceremony online through the university website, and we’ll provide the exact details for viewing and participation to our students and their families very soon," Dawkins said. "As usual, our Revocation will include senior marshals, an address from Dean Lynn and award presentations.”

For the first time, honors graduates will also receive a medallion to commemorate their accomplishments.

“Our new medallion will be presented to our graduating seniors at future Revocations, but this year’s graduating class will be the first to receive this new piece to commemorate their place in the Honors family, and we plan to send them directly to our students at their homes this summer,” Dawkins said.

Steve Lynn, the dean of the Honors College, said in a statement this ceremony is needed to allow graduates a chance to celebrate before moving on to the next step in their lives. 

“We’re excited to honor our seniors and their accomplishments, and while the ceremony will be in a much different format than usual, it will be a wonderful celebration for students, families, faculty and staff, and it will reflect the incredible sense of community our seniors have enjoyed during their four years with the Honors College,” Lynn said in the statement.


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