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In December 2020, I graduated from Syracuse University. But when I watched the virtual graduation ceremony in Spring 2021, my name was left out. And when I attended the postponed graduation for Spring 2020 graduates, my name was left out again.

Winter graduates are in a unique position because they don’t finish their degree at the same time as the majority of their peers. They’re given the option to walk at the graduation ceremony commemorating the semester before or after they finished school, but aren’t officially recognized either way. This made me feel invisible and like my time at SU never happened. And it’s why December graduates should be celebrated just like spring graduates with a commencement ceremony in the winter.

Emily Paradis, an upcoming December 2023 graduate, is walking this spring. She said she made the decision because she felt she resonated with the class of 2023. Still, Paradis added that she feels weird having her accolades recognized.

“Technically I’m not done with my degree yet,” Paradis said. “Walking with friends and having family come is still special but I do wish I could be recognized for the hard work I put into graduation.”

When I was told my name wouldn’t be called, I was hurt and extremely disappointed. That isn’t how someone’s final moments at SU should be remembered.

In order to commemorate the summer, fall and winter graduates, times that could work to celebrate every group should be actively sought out by SU. For winter graduates, there could be a ceremony following the conclusion of final exams, similar to how it is in the spring. That would also mean that graduates wouldn’t have to go out of their way to come back to campus for a commencement ceremony, something Natalie Muñoz, a December 2022 graduate of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, said she has to do this year.

If it’s too difficult to set time aside due to the stress of finals or holidays, then SU should ensure a portion of spring graduation highlights December graduates. Logistical challenges shouldn’t prevent SU from celebrating those of us who complete our degrees early or late.

Spring is assumed to be the one and only, but there are other times throughout the year that a student can finish the courses needed to earn their degree, and those times are equally as special and significant as the spring semester class.

Other colleges like Purdue and Cornell hold ceremonies for their winter graduates in December. SU needs to follow suit to show respect for the community built throughout college. That’s what a graduation ceremony does, it allows for the students to gather together and celebrate one another. Lacking that opportunity left me without closure and when I look at my degree I still think about how you can’t find my name in either spring program I was a part of.

College isn’t about the graduation ceremony, but the commencement remains an important memory during a student’s time on campus. It is a moment to not only celebrate the achievement of completing a degree, but to acknowledge the decision made to pursue it in the first place and to recognize the community you were a part of for an important stage of your life. This celebration must be afforded to all who earn a degree from SU.

Camille Daniels is a 2020 master’s graduate of the S.I Newhouse School of Public Communications. She can be reached at cdaniels@syr.edu.

Published on May 10, 2023 at 10:25 pm