The first official photo of the Class of 2020, taken on August 27, 2016 at Alumni Stadium. (Lee Pellegrini)
Members of the Class of 2020, forced by the coronavirus pandemic to leave campus during their final semester and forgo their graduation ceremonies, will now be properly celebrated with an in-person Commencement Weekend on October 16 and 17.
Hosted by the Boston College Alumni Association, the weekend will kick off with a tailgate and barbecue before the home football game against North Carolina State on Saturday, October 16. Members of the class received complimentary tickets to the 7:30 p.m. game, where they will be recognized and invited to participate in a pre-game fan tunnel and a post-game photo on the field.
On Sunday, October 17, the day’s events will begin with a Baccalaureate Mass at 10 a.m., followed by a Commencement ceremony at 11:15 a.m., both in Conte Forum. Author, business leader, motivational speaker, diversity champion, and Boston College Trustee Steve Pemberton '89, M.A. '19, H'15, whose best-selling memoir A Chance in the World was shared reading for the Class of 2020 during the summer before their arrival at the University, will address the graduates. Immediately following the Commencement Exercises, individual school ceremonies will take place at various locations throughout campus, after which the graduates and their guests are invited to attend a celebratory lunch and toast to the class on the Plaza at O’Neill Library.
The main Commencement Exercises and school ceremonies will be livestreamed at bc.edu/commencement.
"We are very pleased to be able to host a Commencement Weekend for the Class of 2020, where nearly three-quarters of the class has signed up to return to the Heights," said Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations and University Commencement Director Leah M. Spencer. "The pandemic prevented us from hosting Commencement in 2020, so we very much look forward to celebrating the many accomplishments of this great class.”
For the safety of the campus community, all graduates and guests over 12 years of age must provide either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test in order to attend any Commencement Weekend activities.
For more information, visit bc.edu/commencement.
Christine Balquist | University Communications | October 2021