2020 graduates will be welcomed back to an in-person commencement in August, affording them the opportunity to walk the stage. | Juana Garcia/The Cougar

UH announced today 2020 graduates would be welcomed back for an in-person commencement ceremony this August.

This ceremony is set to take place from August 11 to 13 and will be located inside the Fertitta Center.

Graduates can attend this in-person event with a limited number of guests allowed, each graduate is allotted up to four tickets for guests. 

For those that are unable to attend, the ceremonies are set to be live-streamed. 

All 2020 graduates who plan to attend this event must RSVP before June 30.

The Spring 2021 graduates were able to walk the stage before any 2020 graduates were able to or had any knowledge of a makeup ceremony in the works. According to some students, this felt like a slap in the face.

“I was upset, I felt it would’ve made sense to give the 2020 graduates a chance before they did,” said computer engineering alum Juan Martinez. “I felt it would’ve been reasonable to have our commencements at least a month before theirs.”

Some graduates like media production alum Zainalbidin Abdulwahab were happy for their friends who got the earlier opportunity to graduate, but felt pity for their own situation.

“Even though I was happy for my friends and everyone who graduated in the spring, I felt sad that I didn’t get the chance to have my family celebrate my graduation,” Abdulwahab said.

Some of the 2020 graduates are understanding as to why their commencement ceremony was delayed, but then felt dumbfounded when they noticed UH was still allowing in-person sporting events and even allowing the 2021 graduates an outdoor venue for their ceremony.

“They were holding UH football games with crowds in 2020,” said advertising alum Alex Barboza. “You’d think they could have done a commencement in 2020 at the stadium with precautions similar to how they did for 2021 grads considering they didn’t have a problem with crowds when it comes to football.”

Despite the complications from the pandemic, 2020 graduates are still pleased UH is now arranging an opportunity for them to walk the stage.

“I appreciate that something was at least set up for the 2020 grads,” Martinez said. “An earlier date would’ve been ideal, but I’m grateful nonetheless.” 

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“2020 graduates to have commencement ceremony in August” was originally posted on The Cougar