UC Merced’s virtual graduation was today. Here’s how students are celebrating online
UC Merced’s 2020 Virtual Commencement kicked off at 10 a.m. Saturday, celebrating the efforts of more than 1,500 graduates who were slated to receive their degrees.
The campus earlier this year decided to have a virtual commencement, instead of in person, due to the risks pose by the coronavirus pandemic.
During today’s ceremony interim Chancellor Nathan Brostrom addressed the graduates “on stage” dressed in academic regalia, along with Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Gregg Camfield.
Vice Provost and Graduate Dean Marjorie Zatz conferred 73 master’s degrees and 55 doctoral degrees, and school deans Mark Matsumoto, Elizabeth Dumont and Jeffrey Gilger conferred 1,416 bachelor’s degrees. Once all degree requirements have been verified, diplomas will be mailed to each student as usual.
10:02 A.M. — Here we go. The UC Merced commencement ceremony is underway.
Here is a message from Governor Gavin Newsom to the 2020 graduates.
Here are some of the reactions as people watch the virtual ceremony.
People are reacting to the speech given by UC Merced student Christoper Ingle
And we have our first appearance from Baby Yoda
This story was originally published May 16, 2020 at 10:14 AM.