ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (April 21, 2021) — Augustana College will hold three separate graduation ceremonies — one for the class of 2020 and two for the class of 2021 — on Sunday, May 23, in order to allow social distancing of students and families.
"The enthusiasm for celebrating the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 is as strong as ever," said President Steve Bahls.
"We remain committed to ensuring that the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 experience a celebration worthy of their remarkable accomplishments during this unprecedented time."
Commencement speaker
Augustana’s commencement speaker has been a familiar face in Illinois households since March 2020. Dr Emily Landon (’99) will speak to the Class of 2020 and 2021 as an Augustana graduate and public health expert.
Dr Landon has focused her career on infectious diseases. Her research has made her a widely recognized thought leader in public health. Dr Landon’s role as an advisor to Governor JB Pritzker has made her a primary architect of the State of Illinois’ response to the global pandemic.
Dr Landon has been an invaluable resource in educating the college community, and helping the campus move to in-person instruction with low rates of COVID-19 transmission throughout the 2020-2021 academic year.
Livestreaming and tickets
All three ceremonies will be livestreamed and available on YouTube. Ceremonies will last about 90 minutes.
The ceremony will be ticketed and each set of guests will be assigned seats in advance. Currently, each graduate will be allotted a number of assigned tickets.
During graduation weekend, Baccalaureate will be virtual. This beautiful service includes readings and prayers from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other spiritual and secular traditions. The service will premiere on the college’s YouTube channel, 10AM, May 22.
Grads make a difference in the world
President Bahls added, “Commencement provides a space for reflection, recognition, and celebration. It gives us time to acknowledge sacrifice, hard work, and perseverance. And it is a rite of passage and a milestone for Augustana graduates, as they set forth to make a difference in the world.”
After a virtual celebration in 2020 due to COVID-19, this graduation ceremony will mark the college’s 161st, and President Bahls’ 18th commencement. In 2022, President Bahls will partake in his final Augustana commencement ceremony, as he announced his retirement on January 25, 2021. He plans to retire during the summer of 2022.
Known for sparking passionate curiosity, Augustana College is an empowering home to explore over 90 areas of study. Augustana’s innovative program, Augie Choice, transforms students into global citizens, thinkers, and doers with a $2,000 grant to explore the world, complete an internship, or conduct research with a professor. Augustana students achieve a balance inside and outside of the classroom; ranking top ten in all divisions for Academic All Americans. Transformed to be different, current students and alumni include health-care heroes, Nobel Prize-winners, CEOs, college presidents, and leaders across all continents. The college enrolls 2,500 curious changemakers who get energized by four years as part of a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.
