“It was absolutely heartbreaking. I just broke down crying,” Georgina Fernandez said, as she recalled hearing the news that spring 2020’s in-person commencement had been canceled. 

Like many graduating seniors this year, Fernandez has had to cope with the absence of an in-person commencement ceremony this spring after the university canceled it due to concerns about the coronavirus. 

On Friday, the University of Oregon announced that it will be holding a virtual commencement ceremony on June 20, 2020 in place of the previously scheduled in-person ceremony. The university also announced that graduating seniors will have the option to join the class of 2021 for its Spring Commencement next year. 

Related: “Commencement to be online, Class of 2020 invited to 2021 commencement”

Fernandez is a senior at the UO majoring in journalism, advertising and religious studies. 

“At first, I was angry, and I still am angry [about] how UO handled the whole situation.” Fernandez said. “I felt they could have communicated to us a lot earlier saying ‘hey guys we’re still trying to figure it out.’”

Jeffrey Chapman is a senior at UO majoring in music. Like the other seniors, Chapman said he is sad he doesn’t get to walk this year but understands why the university had to cancel commencement. When asked what he was going to miss most about a traditional graduation, Chapman said the graduation parties.

“I really enjoyed celebrating my accomplishments at the end of high school, and now I feel like I have even more to celebrate,” Chapman said. “I’m not gonna be able to do that in the way that I originally envisioned.”

While seniors were disappointed with UO’s original decision to cancel commencement, many were even more frustrated with how the university communicated that information. UO first announced that the in-person commencement was canceled through a tweet responding to a student’s question on Twitter. 

That student was Ruby Quintero, a senior at UO majoring in journalism.

Quintero said she tweeted the university asking what was going to happen to commencement and “a few minutes later they replied back basically saying that graduation was going to be canceled that they would try their best to give us a meaningful experience.”

Quintero said her initial reactions were anger and sadness. She said she understood why it was canceled, but also said, “It’s just really hard to accept that.”

Quintero also reflected on what this graduation meant for her personally.

“I was most excited to say I did it. I come from a mixed-race family. My dad’s white. My mom is Mexican and my older sister never made it to college, so I was going to be the first within my siblings,” Quintero said. 

Many seniors are glad that the university finally announced official plans for an alternate celebration, but concerns about the new plan still remain.

Samantha Katzeff, a senior at UO majoring in public relations, said she was glad that the university made new plans for commencement, but also said she was worried about how next year’s combined commencement will work.

“If you look at it logistically, I just don’t understand how they think that’s a good idea,” Katzeff said. “You’re bringing extra students plus their families into Eugene for a weekend that already can barely fit the amount of people who come.”

Quintero also voiced concerns about combining the 2020 and 2021 ceremonies. Quintero said she is concerned about her mother, who is disabled and might have a hard time sitting through an extra-long ceremony.

While many questions still remain, seniors are trying their best to find the positives in the situation. 

“I’m torn between feeling bad for myself, but also trying to be understanding as well because I know this is unprecedented for everyone, students and faculty and administration alike,” Nathan Asman, a graduate student completing his sixth year of schooling, said. “At the end of the day, I’m still graduating, which is the big part for me.”

Fernandez said she is excited to walk with her friends from the class of 2021 if she is able to come back next year, and in terms of the online ceremony, Fernandez has already signed up. 

“I plan on getting all dressed up, do my hair for that 9 a.m. ceremony, sitting on my couch,” Fernandez said.
As Quintero said, “I know it doesn’t feel great, being in this situation, but it’s still a memory, and it’s still one I’m going to cherish in the future. It’s still something to celebrate whether that’s an in-person graduation, or it’s just me taking pictures for my own memories. I’m really happy that I’m graduating regardless of the situation.”