10/23/20
Gadsden State postpones commencement ceremony
Gadsden, Ala. – Gadsden State Community College is postponing its fall semester commencement ceremony due to coronavirus concerns. Kelley Pearce, associate dean of enrollment and retention, confirmed the postponement today.
“With the increase in COVID-19 cases in our service area, it is the safest decision for our students and their families as well as our faculty and staff to postpone the graduation ceremony,” she said. “We know how important this milestone is for our students and their families so we are hopeful that we will be able to celebrate our graduates in the spring.”
The commencement ceremony for Fall 2020 graduates was originally planned for Dec. 17 at Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center. It is now tentatively set for May 7, 2021, at Gadsden State Cherokee.
“If the pandemic subsides and it is safe to resume mass gatherings of people, we will more than likely host two ceremonies to accommodate all of the graduates from both semesters,” Pearce said.
She said a final decision about the commencement in the spring will be announced by March 31. If the coronavirus is still a concern, an alternative celebration will be planned.
In addition to the postponement of the fall semester commencement, Gadsden State’s Nursing Department has announced its traditional pinning ceremony for registered nursing graduates will take place virtually. The virtual ceremony will post to Gadsden State’s social media platforms on Dec. 16.
For up-to-date information about Gadsden State’s response to the coronavirus, visit gadsdenstate.edu/coronavirus.