Photo courtesy of Otterbein University
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of a dream," - Eleanor Roosevelt.
Otterbein University will host five in-person ceremonies on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2 at Otterbein's Memorial Stadium (135 Center St., Westerville.)
The class of 2020 will be welcomed back for their own ceremony on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. This is the "class that wasn't forgotten" as the 2020 grads did not get to enjoy a ceremony due to COVID-19 restrictions.
That, however, doesn't mean these students shouldn't celebrate their success. Within six months of graduation, 96.1 percent of the class of 2020 were employed, enrolled in graduate school or served in the military.
The class of 2021 will celebrate its ceremony as follows:
Graduate School: Saturday, May 1 @ 5:30 p.m.
Undergraduates: Sunday, May 2 @ 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Each graduate has received four tickets for immediate family to watch the ceremony in person, seated in pods with social distancing and facial coverings required. The ceremonies will all be streamed live online. Complete details are available at www.otterbein.edu/commencement.
Otterbein President John Comerford encourages all to applaud high school and college graduates after the challenges COVID-19 brought. Comerford was featured is a guest contributor for an article he wrote about his feelings on the last few graduating classes.
“This year’s graduating high school and college seniors take with them more than they may realize,” he says. “In addition to a mastery of the inner workings of Zoom that’s greater than they ever thought was possible, they also have a profound connection with every other graduating senior in the world. Together, they have witnessed first-hand the triumph of science, the pitfalls of ignorance, the power of perseverance, the lingering reality of unequal access to health care and technology and ultimately how working together can truly change the world.”
Otterbein Vice President for Institutional Advancement Michael McGreevey says, "We are extremely proud of the resilience of our students and look forward to celebrating this important milestone with them and their families."
For more details about commencement, visit www.otterbein.edu.
Additionally, to celebrate this exciting weekend, Otterbein representatives will be delivering congratulatory and welcome signs to businesses within the Uptown District.
"We love seeing the town and gown celebrating each other," Lynn Aventino, executive director of Uptown Westerville, Inc. says. "Businesses are excited to host the Otterbein students and their families on this amazing mega-commencement weekend."
Otterbein created images to share on social media or print out for the commencement! Download and share your support, whether you're a grad, parent of a grad, grandparent of a grad or a friend of a grad.
Mallory Arnold is an editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
