To celebrate the accomplishments of its summer and fall 2020 graduating students, Campbell University will hold a virtual commencement ceremony and confer degrees via livestream on Friday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m.
The virtual ceremony will recognize by name all Campbell undergraduate, graduate and professional degree recipients while following state orders and recommendations from national and world health organizations stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although degrees will be conferred during this virtual ceremony, University officials say they remain committed to hosting an in-person ceremony to allow all students from the past year to actively participate and families to celebrate at a yet-to-be determined time when public health guidelines allow for mass gatherings.
“In spite of the challenges associated with the current national and international public health crisis, the disappointment of not having an in-person graduation, and missing the opportunity to shake each graduate’s hand and pose for a photo, I am thrilled our graduates and their families can gather virtually with us to celebrate via this live stream event,” President J. Bradley Creed said. “Our December 2020 graduates deserve recognition and celebration upon completion of this important academic achievement.”
During the livestream ceremony, members of the Class of 2020 for August and December and their friends and families are invited to gather together online as the University leadership recognizes them and confers their Campbell University degrees. In addition to the conferral of degrees, the streamed ceremony will feature a musical performance by Abigail Kolb, mezzo soprano, Class of 2021, graduating with the Bachelor of Music degree (B.M.) in Music Education; remarks by President Creed; and a short commencement speech by The Rev. Dr. David J. Hailey, Sr. (’16), senior pastor of the historic Hayes Barton Baptist Church in downtown Raleigh.
“We know our faculty and students are keenly interested in returning to campus and in coming together as a community to celebrate the Class of 2020,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Mark L. Hammond. “Rest assured, we share your enthusiasm for a face to face event and have every hope of hosting an on-campus exercise to celebrate again your academic successes when public health guidelines permit us to do so.”
A link to view the December 11 event will be posted at the University’s main webpage at www.campbell.edu.