CSUB plans for in-person graduation ceremonies

Classes of 2020 and 2021 will observe commencement with rigorous safety protocols

By California State University, Bakersfield

April 14^th, 2021

California State University, Bakersfield is pleased to announce that we will celebrate our graduates from the classes of 2020 and 2021 with a series of in-person commencement ceremonies that will observe rigorous safety protocols, including limitations on crowd size.

“The commencement ceremony is the high point of any university and the day students dream of their whole lives,” said CSUB President, Dr. Lynnette Zelezny. “But CSUB has prioritized the health and safety of our students and community since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, which necessitated the heartbreaking decision to postpone all commencement ceremonies, beginning in the spring of 2020.

“But now we have a message of joy for those students: Your patience will be rewarded. Now is your time to shine!”

The university will schedule a series of ceremonies from Thursday, May 20, through Sunday, May 23. The classes will include undergraduate and graduate students from Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021 and Summer 2021.

“The President’s Cabinet has explored the options for commencement for well over a year now,” said CSUB Provost, Dr. Vernon Harper. “Everything was on the table, from a virtual ceremony to further postponement. But our students deserve more than that. I can’t think of a group of students who have sacrificed more or worked harder, under incredibly challenging circumstances, than these graduates. We are in awe of what they have accomplished.”

The ceremonies will take place on CSUB’s soccer field, with strict masking and social distancing guidelines. Each student will be issued three tickets for guests.

The students will walk across the stage as their names are called, but there will be no handshakes or other physical contact. Students who do not wish to be present for the in-person ceremony will be able to participate virtually.