The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 7 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on April 2, 2021.
Emma Overton ’21
Editor-in-Chief and News Editor
Following President Schutt’s March 10 announcement that Lake Forest College is moving forward amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with plans for in-person graduation ceremonies for the classes of 2020 and 2021 in May, some students expressed concern about the safety and scheduling of the events, while others are looking forward to celebrating their commencement in-person.
Northwestern University, in nearby Evanston, Illinois, is proceeding with a virtual commencement ceremony for the Class of 2021, with the opportunity for graduates of both the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020 to schedule “personal processions” over the weekend of Saturday, June 12 and Sunday, June 13 that will be “livestreamed for family and friends,” according to the University’s website.
Additionally, Carthage College, just across the state line in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has scheduled in-person commencement for the Class of 2021 over two days, Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25. Members of Carthage’s Class of 2020 will have the opportunity to attend an in-person ceremony on Saturday, May 22.
In contrast to the weekend schedules of other institutions, Lake Forest College’s plans include events during the week, with two separate ceremonies for the Class of 2021 at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18, and one ceremony for the Class of 2020 at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 21. Graduates are limited to two ticketed guests, although Director of Commencement and Assistance Dean of the Faculty for Operations Fran Pease shared that the College is currently “working on a system to redistribute unused tickets in a way that is fair to all graduates.”
Members of the College’s Class of 2020, in particular, have expressed concerns about the scheduling of their ceremony. Rebecca Reitemeier ’20, who is interning with W. W. Norton & Company from her home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, shared that she “worr[ies] about how the short notice and limits on guests and faculty will impact how many students are able to [or] choose to attend.” In a letter to the College’s administration, sent on March 19, asking them to consider rescheduling the Class of 2020 ceremony that Reitemeier shared with the Stentor, she noted, in part, “…[t]he compassionate decision is to wait. Give families time to save up funds. Would it not be better to have a ceremony where we could safely hug one another, take pictures where we can see each other’s faces, introduce our families to our friends and teachers, and celebrate beyond the stage, where the tone of the event would be not one of apprehension but one of joy? This event could be an opportunity to heal from a traumatic year. Our class deserves closure. We need to reunite to heal. The current plan on May 21st does not make that possible.”
Editor’s Note: According to Reitemeier, as of press time, the administration has not responded to her March 19 letter. Reitemeier shared that an earlier message sent on March 12, was replied to on March 15, but noted that she felt the response was not satisfactory.
Similarly, a member of the Young Alumni Committee and 2020 graduate Sangjun Hornewer ’20, who is working as a junior proofreader at Uline in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, stated that she does “not feel like the plans to have the 2020 ceremony on a Friday afternoon are feasible for most graduates. I, like many others, appreciate that the College is making an effort to provide some type of ceremony for the Class of 2020; however, the travel plans on short notice, safety concerns with not all attendees being vaccinated, and graduates [and] their families needing to take time off work all make a Friday afternoon ceremony increasingly difficult to attend.”
Hornewer shared that the Young Alumni Committee members “reached out to our contact in Development and Alumni Relations to express concerns about the date/time of the ceremony. We’ve communicated that it’s likely more people would attend a commencement/homecoming celebration in the fall because it would be safer and much more reasonable for people to make travel plans, especially for international graduates.”
Commenting on her plans to attend the May 21st ceremony, Hornewer noted, “[b]ased on what I’ve heard, it seems like not that many people are planning to come because of travel plans, taking time off from work, and general safety concerns…with the current plans for what the proposed May 21st ceremony would look like and the general skepticism I’m hearing from other graduates, as of right now I’m not planning on attending.” She summarized her thoughts about the planned ceremony, asking, “Since the ceremony has already been delayed for so long, what’s a few more months to have a proper celebration that’s safer for everyone?”
Additionally, Ellerese Topacio ’20, who is working as a law clerk at an injury law firm in Chicago, shared her thoughts on the planned ceremony, noting, “[w]hen [Lake Forest College] announced a new date for the 2020 graduation ceremony, I felt very relieved even though I admittedly still feel reluctant in going. I feel touched that the College wants to recognize and celebrate our accomplishments. It would be very exciting to see familiar faces [but] I still hesitate to confirm my inclusion because of the ongoing fear of the virus as well as my hectic schedule.”
Responding to concerns about the safety of the ceremonies, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Andrea Conner noted that while the College “can never guarantee safety, our plan has been reviewed by officials with Lake County, and they have given it their support. It meets or exceeds all relevant safety regulations.” Addressing scheduling concerns, Conner stated, “Sometimes major college dates don’t conveniently align with weekends (move-in days for returning students in August, for example, are always on Tuesday/Wednesday). The academic calendar is complicated and precise, and the Registrar’s office needs a certain number of days to calculate the grades for seniors and ensure all have met graduation requirements. Usually, finals end on a Monday or Tuesday, and that’s just the right amount of time for a Saturday graduation. This year, they’re going to work through the weekend in order to be ready in time.”
Members of the Class of 2021 also shared their thoughts on the planned ceremonies. Zach Jenkins ’21 noted that he was “thrilled to find out [the ceremony] would be in-person” since he “get[s] the feeling that if we graduated and they decided to host the ceremony a different year it wouldn’t be close to the same, and we’d no doubt see a small number of people return for the event (similar to what we’re seeing with the class of 2020’s graduation this year).” Jenkins shared that he plans to attend his assigned ceremony on May 18.
Similarly, Alden O’Connor ’21, who plans on attending the ceremony, shared that he “was happy to hear that the college announced in-person graduation ceremonies, particularly because I’m excited to have my parents travel up to Lake Forest to celebrate with me before I move on to the next chapter of my life.” Commenting on the limit of two guests per graduate, O’Connor noted, “it was a little unfortunate to hear that the ceremony will be split up by [last] name, leaving me to graduate without a few of my friends, but I’m at least grateful we’re having something in-person.”
Further, Britt Dahlin ’21, noted that “I appreciate that Lake Forest College is taking a cautious approach, trying to balance the desire to have an in-person ceremony with safety concerns caused by the still prevalent COVID-19 virus.” She shared that “[w]hile it is a bit disappointing that my brother and grandparents will not be present, I am thankful and excited that my parents will be able to attend this special occasion.”
