Dominican University 2021 graduates persevered with their graduation ceremony despite technical, weather and mismanagement hurdles.
The candle and rose ceremony was attended by around 130 undergraduates with their roses, or companions, who had shown Caritas et Veritas in accordance with the event. Graduates stood in a light drizzle at the outdoor event to celebrate one of the last steps of their journey at Dominican.
“I’d been looking forward so long, it (the candle and rose ceremony) really felt like my years at Dominican are getting some closure,” said Blanca Rendon, a 2021 graduate.
Rendon said she also saw people with their whole families, which is against the no-guest policy. There were also no instructions given about taking pictures, and Rendon mostly followed the general direction of the crowd.
She said students were directed to a room based on their name. And in the rooms were graduates gathered, the crowd was denser than she had expected.
“It just felt like it was such a crowded event. Everyone was inside the building at Lewis at one point,” Rendon said. “The room was crowded by the chapel. And so, I thought: the whole point of Caritas Veritas happening or being able to happen, was because it was an outside event. And it kind of defeated the purpose, having us so crowded in Lewis. I think, if that were able to happen, then why couldn’t we have a graduation?”
Melissa Portillo, a graduate of 2021, decided to not attend the ceremony due to the no in-person policy.
“The candle and rose ceremony was not the type of closure I was looking for in ending my schooling,” Portillo said. “I understand the ceremony is something special on-campus; but with the pandemic, I didn’t see it as something special since the graduation component was not there and (the ceremony) was only going to be held virtual.”
Rendon only received one email about the commencement weekend, dress code, time of arrival and no-guests policy.
“It (the email) didn’t say anything new than I had already read under the commencement on myDU,” Rendon said. “So there was no new information, I constantly had to reach out to people.”
Portillo received the text reminders and the emails but did not receive the link to commencement. She said graduates were texting each other to find the link, even though the email mentioned the link would be provided on the day.
“I had to look up the commencement live video on YouTube myself. And then an hour and a half into commencement, I received the text for it,” Portillo said. “If I waited for the text with the link, I would have missed my name being called.”
Dean of Students Norah Collins Pienta said, according to the communication plan, several emails in February about commencement were sent to students. Students also received text messages related to the commencement.
According to the Registrar’s office, student degrees are confirmed after final grade submission and completion of degree requirement.
Diplomas are printed and mailed USPS priority from an outside vendor. After the conferral of degrees, the vendor will process the information within 10 days.
Students must finalize all payment (including administrative graduation fee) before receiving their diploma or transcript.
qzhao@my.dom.edu
