Event Planning

It is a reflective time for a university campus. Final examinations have been taken. End of course papers have been submitted. Faculty are hiding away reviewing student work and computing final grades. The campus is pretty empty. Most students have returned to their homes.

Those participating in their commencement are still in the city, awaiting the celebration. Some are celebrating in their own way each night. Some are preparing to leave their rental units and slowly packing up. Some are awaiting the arrival of family and friends to share the special days with them.

The mix of people on campus has radically changed. Workers are taking advantage of the absence of students to spruce up the environment for the celebrations that will soon fill the spaces. Railings are being repainted. Flower gardens are being spruced up.

We are still a COVID-affected physical environment, so there are tents all around campus. They’ve been used for study areas and outside classrooms, but they’re increasingly being used for receptions and congratulatory events. One of the attractive effects of COVID on the Hilltop campus is the presence of Adirondack chairs scattered throughout the lawns. It has provided a peaceful outdoor alternative to the masked indoor activities.

All attention is gradually focusing on the various commencement ceremonies. There is a huge tent on Healy Hall lawn, in front of the faculty podium. For the first time, the graduates will be shaded. (Somehow, the hottest day of the year seems to be commencement.) I was a little worried that guests might not be able to see the podium, but the tent has a very high ceiling. The staff has placed giant monitors on the sides so that the guests with restricted view can see a close-up of the speakers.

The students who are on campus tend to be involved in photograph sessions. Some don their graduation robes and caps. They pose in front of the statue of John Carroll, the stairs into Healy Hall, or the stairs leading up to the President’s office. Some are groups of friends and roommates, graduating at the same time. Others are members of the same degree program who’ve built bonds from shared challenges and group projects. They’re capturing their memories before the rush of families and guests at commencement. There’s a lot of laughter and smiling. What an antidote to the stresses and anxieties of the end of a semester!

This graduating class is special. Like the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021, it was heavily affected by the global pandemic. Those in one year programs had a relatively common on-campus experience (academic year 2021-22 was largely on campus). Those in two year programs spent academic year 2020-2021, totally online and the last year in traditional learning settings. The undergraduates entered in 2018, had 1.5 years of normality and then the shock of returning home for remote learning.

We hope that, as they reflect on these times, they will realize that they succeeded in the face of these real impediments. They displayed resilience to complete their goals despite unusual challenges.

We are well-aware of the experiences of anxieties and depression among our current students. I’m hoping that as the graduates reflect on their successful program completion, they will perceive how resilient they actually are. My hope is that their self-image becomes one who can face challenges and setbacks but, through perseverance, succeed.