Virtual graduation celebration May 16

May 4, 2020

Dear students, faculty and staff,

Like many of you, I look forward to a time when we can be together again on campus. I genuinely miss our community and the celebratory spirit that emerges during this time of year.

Although we must continue to practice physical distancing, it will not keep us from celebrating the accomplishments of our 2020 graduates. We will host a virtual graduation celebration on May 16 to honor the hard work of our graduates and their families. Keep in mind, this celebration is not a replacement for in-person commencement ceremonies. We will invite all of our graduates to join us on campus at a later date, when health officials have deemed it is safe for public gatherings to resume.

In the meantime, we have teamed up with Marching Order to provide a tailored virtual ceremony for 14 of our 16 colleges. The College of Medicine and the Graduate College will hold separate online ceremonies to recognize their students. I invite each of you to celebrate with us online in May and in-person at a later date.

Please also share your photos and congratulatory messages on social media using #UICGrad20 and virtually wear a UIC cap and gown with our new “Proud to be a 2020 UIC grad” Instagram filter.

In recognition of everyone’s commitment and resilience, we are showcasing UIC’s impact on the community, thanking our frontline workers, and honoring our 2020 graduates with a media campaign airing on NBC and Telemundo. You can find the spots on our YouTube channel along with several recent videos showcasing our efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will also launch special content honoring our graduates during the week of May 11th.