As many as 467 students at Bowdoin College are set to graduate on Saturday. Unlike last year and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, college officials have decided to hold an in-person commencement ceremony.
Though the Center for Disease Control has eased COVID-19 mask rules, all students, faculty, staff and guests are required to wear face masks throughout the ceremony. However, the college officials are not requiring social-distancing.
“Our graduating seniors have been a part of the college’s rigorous COVID-19 testing protocol. All the students will be seated in a traditional manner, provided they have received negative test results,” said college spokesman Doug Cook.
The college had long planned to conduct an in-person ceremony, with certain limitations in place, added Cook.
Meanwhile, a section of distanced seating will be available on the quad for those who prefer to be physically distant from others. All faculty and staff who are participating in or volunteering at the commencement are required to get themselves tested on Friday.
There is no limit on the number of guests allowed per graduating seniors on the quad. If the ceremony is moved indoors to Watson Arena, however, graduating seniors would be limited to two guests each.
Bowdoin College President Clayton S. Rose will preside over the ceremony and award degrees on the terrace of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art on the quad. This year will mark Bowdoin’s 216th commencement ceremony.
Gov. Janet T. Mills will deliver a video message to graduates during the ceremony, and Eduardo Pazos, Bowdoin’s director of religion and spiritual life, will give the invocation.
According to college’s commencement web page, of the 467 graduates, 47 students are from Maine, 55 students from Massachusetts, 48 students from New York, 38 students from California and 29 students from Connecticut. Besides, 34 international students.
This year’s commencement speakers will be newly-minted Bowdoin grads Ruby Ahaiwe, Sarisha Kurup and David Zhou.
“We are excited for our graduating seniors to be able to participate in an in-person commencement ceremony. The college is proud of the hard work each student has put in academically toward this achievement,” said Cook.
The commencement ceremony will be live streamed on the college’s website, bowdoin.edu.
This story was updated at 11:05 a.m. Friday, May 28 to clarify how many guests per student can attend if the commencement ceremony is moved indoors.
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