Commencement
May 11, 2020
Dear Goucher students,
Congratulations on completing your last week of classes. As finals begin, you are one step closer to the end of your undergraduate journey at Goucher College.
We are very disappointed that the pandemic will not allow us to commemorate these milestones together with you on campus. Regarding these celebrations, I have two very important updates to share with you.
While we heard clearly that the Class of 2020 preferred to gather for an in-person Commencement ceremony in October, we have also heeded the guidance of local and national public health officials to defer any large-scale gatherings planned this fall until next year. Therefore, in the best interest of the health and safety of our community, we are now planning for the Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony to take place on Saturday, May 22, 2021.
Even though we physically won’t be able to gather for these most important events, everyone here at Goucher remains dedicated to celebrating your accomplishments together virtually. We are happy to announce that a special guest will be joining us to celebrate the Class of 2020.
The keynote speaker for this year’s virtual Baccalaureate ceremony will be Senator Cory Booker. As many of you know, Senator Booker has spent the past seven years in the U.S. Senate and recently concluded his bid for the Democratic nomination for president. His dedication to justice and opportunity for all Americans has brought millions of people together, and his emphasis on the importance of community, service, and education ring true to our Goucher community principles.
We will have the honor of welcoming Sen. Booker to our virtual Baccalaureate on Thursday, May 21, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The event will offer our community the opportunity to gather, reflect, and celebrate together through music, readings, and speakers. The virtual event may be accessed via Zoom.
This month, in addition to the virtual Baccalaureate event, we also plan to hold a virtual Convocation ceremony to honor the academic, artistic, and civic accomplishments of our students. A variety of awards and honors will be given at the Convocation ceremony that will now take place the following Thursday, May 28, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. ET. More information and a link to the event will be sent out soon.
We miss you and wish we could be together on our beloved campus for these celebrations. However, while we won’t be able to parade down Van Meter Highway in our caps and gowns this month, we are looking forward to sharing these Baccalaureate and Convocation ceremonies with you virtually and returning together in our regalia on the Winslow Great Lawn next May.
Kent
Kent Devereaux, President
Goucher College
Baccalaureate
We invite all graduates, families, friends, faculty, and staff to reflect on the meaning of the college experience and the transition of commencement, through responsive readings, prayers from many religious and ethnic traditions in different languages, music, and reflections from a graduate and a faculty or staff member. Baccalaureate will take place online on May 21, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. The keynote speaker for this year’s virtual Baccalaureate ceremony will be Senator Cory Booker. An invitation to attend the online Baccalaureate has been sent to the Goucher community. Read more
Convocation
On Thursday, May 28, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. ET., the Goucher community will celebrate the academic and artistic achievements of its students, faculty and staff at the annual Convocation celebration. In the interest of public health, this year's celebration will be held online. Convocation not only recognizes academic honors, it also celebrates artistic and civic achievements. Read more
In Absentia
Undergraduate Students: Students who intend to receive their degree in absentia (those who will not be attending the ceremony) should notify the Registrar by emailing registrar@goucher.edu, no later than one week prior to Commencement.
Graduate Students: Must notify Christina Berke by emailing Christina.Berke@goucher.edu.
Regalia & Graduate Paraphernalia
Beginning this year, all Goucher students will order regalia through the Herff Jones website, http://colleges.herffjones.com/college/goucher/. The website is scheduled to remain live until August 15th. As of this moment, our plan is to keep the website open for orders until this scheduled date, then reopen the website leading up to next year’s graduation for both Class of 2020 & Class of 2021.
Any orders placed through August 15th will be fulfilled as normal. If ordered as “Ship to Home”, they will be sent on a regular delivery schedule. If ordered as “Campus Pick Up”, these orders will be shipped to the store and held until next year’s graduation. If a student has ordered regalia to be delivered to campus, will not be walking in next year’s commencement, but still wishes to keep their regalia, they can pick up from the store at any time within the next year.
The return site will remain open and regalia can be returned as long as the packaging has remained unopened. Please see the link to the guidelines for return policies and the necessary forms for placing returns: www.herffjones.com/collegereturns.
Seniors: Senior Class Gift - Tassel Campaign
Graduating seniors who make a generous gift of $20.20 to support current and future Gophers will be awarded a commemorative 2020 Blue & Gold Tassel to wear on their caps and in recognition of their support – names of those making the Senior Class Gift will also be printed in the May commencement program, honoring them as donors. All senior givers that make a gift of $5 or more will also be invited to attend a special “Senior Toast” in the spring. To find out how to make your Senior Class Gift and give back, please contact gophers@goucher.edu or 410.337.6080.
Parents: Senior Parent Gift - "In Honor Of"
Next semester will be an exhilarating time for both you and your student—a time to celebrate the culmination of four years of challenge, growth and success! We know that families are there every step of the way in their student’s educational journey, and understand the work and perseverance it takes to get to commencement. Won’t you recognize this wonderful accomplishment with a gift in honor of your graduating senior? Families who give in honor of their graduate(s) will receive special recognition in the keepsake commencement program commemorating this special day!
Please contact Hannah Dowling,'17 annual giving officer, at hannah.dowling@goucher.edu or call (410) 337-6080 to learn more, or go directly to www.goucher.edu/parentfund and make your donation today!