Congratulations to our Graduates!
Commencement
SUNY Plattsburgh will host a series of smaller, in-person commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2021 on Saturday, May 15 in the Field House gymnasium.
The events are designed to follow New York State Department of Health guidelines for
graduation events and county Health Department guidance.
Related information is below. As more details are developed, they will be shared here.
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Attendance & Specific Ceremonies for Graduates
Attendance at the events is limited to the Class of 2021 graduating seniors and graduate students.
Class members can look for an email soon with more detailed instructions on their particular ceremony, time and registration instructions.
Graduates will be assigned a graduation time based on their major and school. This will be shared to each graduate by email soon. We are looking at times of 8 a.m., 10 a.m., Noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. for the events. We are also creating a 6 p.m. online ceremony option available for those unable to attend in person. The events will include some elements of our traditional ceremony.
All participants will need proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours, per New York State requirements.
We are working to determine whether and how many faculty may be able to attend.
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No Guests for In-Person Events
We are disappointed that family and friends will not be able to attend the in-person ceremonies. We understand this is true of events at many other colleges yet that does not make it easier.
We will be sharing each celebration via livestream. Recordings will also be online after the program.
Guests or spectators will not be allowed to enter the Field House or other campus facilities due to ongoing COVID restrictions.
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Health & Safety
We are following guidance from the state and SUNY that limits attendance regardless of size or location. Masking, distancing, and other directions will apply.
Our plans are contingent on the public health situation and state guidance. Should COVID-19 cases on campus or in the region increase markedly, we may be forced to change plans. However, we are optimistic and moving forward with our plans.
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Livestream of Events & RecordingsA livestream of each event will be made available on the college website at the time of the ceremony.
A recording of each event will be archived and kept on the college website for later viewing. -
Bookstore & RegaliaGraduates should order regalia as soon as able.
Regalia can be purchased from the Campus Bookstore or directly through the college vendor.The vendor site will be open until Thursday, April 29. It is https://plattsburgh.shopoakhalli.com . Students should choose the ship to home option.The bookstore's flower/shirt vendor will not be on campus for the graduation events, but they are doing orders online for shirts, hoodies, teddy bears and other gifts. These can be ordered at https://www.thecommencementgroup.com/ .sunyplattsburg/ For graduation weekend, the Campus Bookstore will be open until 6 p.m. Friday, May 14 and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. -
Be a Commencement SpeakerAs is tradition, the Honors Council will select student commencement speakers to speak on behalf of their classmates at the in-person commencement ceremonies. We plan to have one speaker attend each of the five programs.We know time is tight, so here is the plan:
- Let us know you're interested soon. If you want to speak, first send an email with your interest soon to Nicole Jarvis
in the Honors Center at [email protected]. To be eligible, you should be graduating with a 3.0 or higher GPA.
- Send a draft speech by Friday, April 23. Write a draft speech of 700 words or less, or about 3-4 double-spaced pages. Please
do not type your name on the draft speech as the speeches are assigned a number in
order to be reviewed in total anonymity. Please attach a separate cover sheet with
your name, local and home addresses, email address, phone number and academic major.
- Focus on the common experience. The most well received speeches are those that have the most meaning for the largest
number of persons in attendance, reflect on the common educational experience, and
share, in a personal way, the value of the education received at SUNY Plattsburgh.
- Wait to hear back. We'll let you know soon after submission if you're selected. We're looking for students for certain ceremonies, so that's part of the process, too. The Honors Council will make the choice based on clarity of ideas, appropriateness of topic, suitability for the occasion and intended audience, quality of content, and extent to which the speech represents the best of the Plattsburgh experience.
If you are selected, members of the Honors Council will provide assistance in preparing the final version of your speech. You will also need to be available to practice your speech.
Questions? Please contact Dr. Tracie Church Guzzio, Professor of English and Director of the Honors Program, at [email protected] or 518-564-3075. - Let us know you're interested soon. If you want to speak, first send an email with your interest soon to Nicole Jarvis
in the Honors Center at [email protected]. To be eligible, you should be graduating with a 3.0 or higher GPA.