At the Citrus stadium on June 18, commencement will return to in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. No mask mandate will be in place, with COVID-19 health threats going down, Vice President of Student Services Richard Rams said.
Rams said he is excited to host in-person commencement for the first time since 2019.
“(We had) Two years of virtual graduations due to the restrictions and COVID, so we’re excited that we’re going to have a live graduation in June,” Rams said.
Rams said this year’s commencement will be different as they will broadcast commencement live on the college YouTube channel.
Commencement will be in alignment with the Los Angeles County guidelines, with no special screening protocols for graduates and guests being anticipated, Rams said in an email.
Students who wish to participate in graduation must have submitted a graduation application by April 15, Rams wrote in an email.
Class of 2020 and 2021 have been invited to commencement, with 147 graduates expressing interest in participating as of April 1, Rams’ email said.
Rams said in an email that the commencement website will have additional information and direct communication ongoing about caps and gowns, and event day information in May.
With commencement being outdoors and students having to test anyway for finals weeks the school does not anticipate any COVID-19 restrictions, Rams said.
If anything changes from this point to June, the school would adjust and follow the Los Angeles County guidelines, Rams said.
Although commencement is going to be in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, some students are indifferent to the return.
Leann Beans, who is majoring in Pre-Allied Health and planning to transfer to Cal State San Marcos, said she does not care about the format of graduation changing. Beans said she will probably not attend graduation.
“I don’t know that many people so I really don’t care whether it’s in-person or online, so I know I personally am probably not going to go to graduation,” Beans said.
Beans said her not being here the full two years, and the lack of community she has felt is the main reason she will not attend the graduation. Beans said she is not worried about getting sick with COVID-19 as she is young and vaccinated.
Rams said students are encouraged to attend in-person to celebrate the work they put in.
“Whether you might be shy or uncertain or you’re worried that, hey, I didn’t get to meet many students, what better opportunity than at graduation? Cause guess what you are all one on a single day and that is a graduate of Citrus College,” Rams said.
The biggest difference between the livestream commencement and attending in-person is the livestream is a moment and attending in-person is an experience, Rams said.
Someone who may fall under the category of students Rams is referring to is Monica DelaCruz.
DelaCruz is majoring in child development and said she has become used to the online format and prefers to not have to walk on stage.
“These days I’m so used to like it being remote, I don’t really care if I’m right there,” DelaCruz said, “… and I don’t have to be on the stage and that’s just too much.”
DelaCruz said she personally prefers the remote commencement as she has grown accustomed to that format, however she is fine with however the school chooses to do it.
