March 4, 2021
Dear Recent Graduates and Graduates-To-Be,
As we recently notified you, we plan to celebrate commencement with several in-person ceremonies in Freedom Hall on Friday, May 7, and Saturday, May 8. We can now provide you with the details for each ceremony.
All doctoral graduates from 2020 and 2021 will be recognized in a single ceremony on the afternoon of Friday, May 7. All other Class of 2020 graduates (Summer 2019, Fall 2019 and May 2020), both at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, will be recognized on Friday evening.
The Class of 2021 graduates (Summer 2020, Fall 2020 and May 2021) will be divided into three separate ceremonies on Saturday, May 8, based on their school/major.
Here is the complete schedule:
- Friday, May 7, 2-4 p.m.: Classes of 2020 and 2021 doctoral graduates
- Friday May 7, 7-9 p.m.: Class of 2020 bachelor’s and master’s graduates
- Saturday, May 8, 9-11 a.m.: Class of 2021 graduates in Nursing and Clinical Sciences and the College of Health Professions majors (bachelor’s and master’s)
- Saturday, May 8, 2-4 p.m.: Class of 2021 graduates in Education, Business, and Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences (bachelor’s and master’s) and MAC and MSDM graduates
- Saturday, May 8, 7-9 p.m.: Class of 2021 Bellarmine College of Arts & Sciences, bachelor’s graduates only
Please visit the Commencement website at https://www.bellarmine.edu/academicaffairs/commencement/ for a complete list of which majors are included in each ceremony and be sure to watch this space as details are added.
These smaller ceremonies will allow us to follow appropriate protocols as we continue to grapple with COVID-19. Graduates will be physically distanced while seated and in the lineup. Guest seating will also provide physical distancing. Everyone who enters Freedom Hall must wear a face covering and have their temperature checked at the doors, and everyone attending must have a ticket.
The number of tickets each graduate will receive will be determined a bit later based on capacity guidelines which continue to change.
Any graduate who does not feel comfortable with attending an in-person ceremony will be recognized virtually by announcing their name and displaying their degree information, and all of the ceremonies will be live-streamed.
We will continue to monitor COVID-19 recommendations issued by the state and the CDC and will notify you as soon as possible should anything change. Please continue to follow protocols such as wearing masks, washing your hands and maintaining physical distance.
Be on the lookout for an email coming soon regarding RSVPs for the commencement ceremonies.
If you have any questions related to our commencement plan, please contact Calene Baldwin, commencement coordinator, at cbaldwin@bellarmine.edu.
We look forward to celebrating with you in May!
In veritatis amore,
Dr. Susan M. Donovan
President
Dr. Paul Gore
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Dr. Glenn Kosse
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
Dr. Michael Marshall
Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Communication
Dr. Donald “DJ” Mitchell, Jr.
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Dr. Helen Grace Ryan
Vice President for Student Affairs
Dr. Sean Ryan
Senior Vice President
Mr. Bob Zimlich
Vice President for Administration and Finance