The Clackamas Community College Class of 2020 is preparing to graduate like never before, and the college wants to celebrate with them like never before. A drive-thru graduation procession is being held on the Oregon City campus Friday, June 12, 3 to 7 p.m.
The ceremony is open to all 2019-2020 GED, Adult High School, and degree and certificate completers and petitioners, as well as any student who plans to graduate in summer or fall of 2020.
This year, Clackamas Community College is awarding 1,207 degrees and certificates, 244 GEDs and 11 adult high school diplomas. The youngest graduate is 16 and the oldest is 76.
CCC President Tim Cook said the college surveyed graduates to see how they would like to be honored during the pandemic, and the majority said they did not want a virtual ceremony. (We totally get it. We’re sick of Zoom as well.)
Instead, graduates and their families will sign up for a time slot to take part in the procession. From their vehicles, graduates will receive a bag with their caps, gowns, tassels, honor cords, programs and swag.
From there, they will proceed to a stage where the graduate will exit the vehicle. They will have their names announced, receive their diploma covers, get their photo taken and then exit the stage, turning their tassels from right to left, signaling their shift from being a student to a graduate.
All participants are to follow social distancing guidelines and wear face masks.
“We hope this modified version of commencement will give our students at least some of the pomp and circumstance they deserve,” said Cook. “The graduates of 2020 will be known as the most resilient and agile class in the college’s history.
“In a time when it would have been easy to quit their college education, they persisted. When asked to move their learning from the classroom to online in their living rooms, they successfully made that transition. This graduating class is like no other.”
For more information about Clackamas Community College, visit www.clackamas.edu. For more information about graduation, visit www.clackamas.edu/graduation.
