Citrus College Spring 2020 graduate Mikayla Arena became ecstatic in late May to celebrate all of her accomplishments with her family whether it be online or offline. The only thing she received when she walked down to the mailbox was a flimsy piece of paper.
Arena, 20, said she felt like she deserved more from her school other than a simple diploma when her and other spring graduates are left hanging with no current plan for an online celebration when many colleges in California were able to host something online in June
“Citrus said they were going to be holding a graduation in early December but they haven’t followed up with anything,” Arena said.
This leads many student graduates to feel that Citrus might have just forgotten them all together when they have depended on this school for a bright future, not just a diploma.
The Spring and Fall class of 2020 will now be celebrated on an online webpage rather than a virtual commencement ceremony.
“The celebration in December will be virtual due to the current Los Angeles regulations including a special graduation webpage for all those who graduated in the spring semester who still want to participate as well as the new fall graduates of the current fall semester,” Student Life Supervisor Rosario Garcia said.
Garcia said that spring graduates should be on top of their Citrus College emails in the coming days because the administration will send out more information on registration to be added to this celebratory web page.
“The page will most likely include a pre-recorded commencement speaker but all students who are able to RSVP to the webpage with a graduation picture and their home address will receive a grad cap, student program and an official Citrus College commemorative pin in the mail,” Garcia said.
Maryann Tolano-Leveque, dean of students at Citrus, said the school was hoping to be able to hold an in-person commencement this year, which is why they wanted to wait to celebrate with the spring class of 2020.
“Students are the heart of the college and the reason we do what we do, so we all wanted to be with the graduates on their special day,” Tolano-Leveque said. “I can’t even tell you how sad we are because commencement is such a beautiful tradition so it has been very difficult for us to shift and have to make different plans.”
