The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 6 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on March 12, 2021.
Emma Overton ’21
Editor-in-Chief and News Editor
Editor’s note: The Stentor will feature in-depth coverage of plans for in-person graduation ceremonies in Issue 7, released on April 2. For more information, see President Schutt’s March 10 email and the attached FAQ document.
In a March 10 email to the campus community, Lake Forest College President Stephen D. Schutt shared “plans for an in-person Commencement this spring for both the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020.” According to the email, Commencement will occur via three separate ceremonies to comply with the State of Illinois COVID restrictions on gatherings.
The two ceremonies for the Class of 2021 will be held on Tuesday, May 18 at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., while the ceremony for the Class of 2020 will be held on Friday, May 21 at 1 p.m.
Class of 2021 graduates are not permitted to pick which ceremony to attend, instead, “[t]he list of graduates will be split alphabetically, and each student will be assigned to a specific ceremony.” Further, instead of the typical venue of Ravina Festival Park in Highland Park, Illinois, Schutt noted that the ceremonies will take place “mild rain or shine—on the new Mohr Field on south campus.” Because the ceremonies are outdoors, he stated that “[i]n the event of severe weather, the respective ceremonies will be held on the following day.”
Graduates are limited to two guests, but Schutt shared that “the ceremony will be available via livestream so that other friends and family members can share in celebrating our graduates’ tremendous accomplishments.” All attendees are required to “adhere to strict masking and social distancing protocols,” according to Schutt’s email. Closing out his message, Schutt included a caveat, noting that “these plans are subject to change as we continue to monitor public health conditions and to comply with state guidelines.”
