Northeastern updates plans to include in-person commencement for graduate students
Though usually commencement ceremonies are held at TD Garden, this year Northeastern will host in-person commencement ceremonies the weekend of May 8 at Fenway Park.
March 18, 2021
Northeastern released an update to 2021 commencement plans March 17 for an in-person ceremony for graduate students May 9. This served as an amendment to a Feb. 11 email, which outlined plans for graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies. Following significant criticism of the plan for a virtual proceeding for graduate students, the email acknowledged these concerns directly.
“[Graduate students’] desire to celebrate commencement together, in person, is abundantly clear,” the email read. “The spirit expressed by our graduate students is yet another reminder that the ‘power of place’ is meaningful to our community.”
The update serves as reassurance that the university is planning with the city to host events that follow COVID-19 guidelines. The undergraduate and graduate classes of 2021, as well as students who were set to graduate in December 2020, will all have in-person commencements.
“As we outlined for our undergraduate ceremonies on Saturday, we will hold two ceremonies for graduate students on Sunday, allowing us to adhere to state-mandated capacity restrictions,” the email read. “We will also add a ceremony for the College of Professional Studies on Saturday evening, following the two undergraduate ceremonies.”
New plans included in the email include two separate commencement ceremonies for graduate students, both to be held May 9 at Fenway Park. This update closely resembles the plan scheduled for undergraduate students. Graduate students are allowed to invite one guest; however, this is subject to change because of COVID-19 regulations.
In addition to updates on the graduate commencement ceremony, an update regarding the School of Law and the D’Amore-McKim School of Business commencements was also included in the email. The School of Law will hold its own in-person ceremony May 14 on or near the Boston campus, however students can choose to participate in the graduate ceremonies at Fenway Park. Similar to the past, the D’Amore-McKim School of Business will hold its graduate student commencement in early September.
