Graduates to take their bows at virtual convocations

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This article was published 07/05/2021 (1673 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jessica Li’s advice for the class of 2021, as summed up in one line from her three-minute valedictorian speech: “If life gives you lemons, just squeeze them.”

As she prepares to pre-record her address for Brandon University’s upcoming virtual convocation, the 21-year-old is trying to take her own advice, by finding the sweet amid the sour of an unusual end to her bachelor’s degree.

“No one wants to graduate virtually, but at least I don’t have to speak in front of anyone,” said Li, who admits she has stage fright.

For yet another convocation season, thousands of college and university graduates will not get the chance to walk across a stage to celebrate their achievement this spring, amid the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schools across the province will instead stream virtual events, with video messages from senior administrators, honourable guests, and valedictorians, and display every graduate’s name during respective presentations to mimic the roll-call tradition.

Most students will receive their official piece of paper in the mail.

“When you’re watching from home, you see your name on the screen pass,” said Colin Russell, registrar at the University of Winnipeg. “There’s something about the whole community being together to celebrate all the grads that’s exciting, and that we look forward to getting back to.”

University of Manitoba students will get an immersive experience through an online platform designed to include a reception area, graduation cap photo booth and alumni hall, in which users can access real-time advice from older alumni.

Each graduate, including Vibhuti Arya, will be able to customize a slide that will appear with their name on it during the grad presentation.

For Arya, 22, it will be a bittersweet celebration; although her mother and extended family in India will not be able to watch her graduate in-person, they may tune in from afar — depending on the timing, given the 12-hour difference.

“One thing I’ve really learned throughout this (pandemic) experience is spending time with family is so important. We should not take that for granted,” said the biology student.

Ceremony aside, students are missing out on end-of-year family parties and annual graduation powwows.

Nicole Luke, who is finishing her master’s degree in architecture, is taking part in a virtual celebration for Indigenous graduates at the U of M this weekend.

“It feels very relieving (to be done), even though it didn’t quite end the way I wanted it to,” said Luke, who is Inuk from Chesterfield Inlet, in Kivalliq Region of Nunavut.

Luke plans to celebrate convocation with an outdoor bonfire with her roommates, and a nice family dinner.

Since March 2020, 5,400 students have graduated virtually from the U of M.

Meantime, Lisa Murray said there will be “hoots and hollers” in her house when her son’s name is displayed on a screen during his BU convocation ceremony.

“The whole year has absolutely affected the students — but missing convocation, I think it really affects the whole family,” said Murray, who has a lawn sign that celebrates her son on her front yard in Brandon.

The lawn signs have been so popular, it’s likely the school will continue offering them in a post-pandemic world, said a spokesperson for BU, adding the university plans to invite class of 2020 and 2021 graduates to walk across the stage when it’s deemed safe to do so.

Li, a chemistry major, said she’s proud she overcame challenges with motivation to do schoolwork this year.

She said she has spent much of the last year at home, unable to see friends, attend in-person classes or participate in campus activities, while fuming as she watched rule-breaking peers post on social media about illegal weekend parties.

“At the end of the day, I’m satisfied knowing that I’ve done everything in my power to keep everyone around me safe,” Li said. “That helps me to heal.”

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie