Erin Aumen, Commencement Coordinator and Associate Director, Constituent Relations, sent the following message to parents and families of students in the Class of 2021 about final preparations for Commencement.
Dear parents and families,
As we make the final preparations for the celebration of Gettysburg College’s 186th Commencement, we’d like to highlight the following information, as well as the Commencement website. We look forward to a wonderful celebration!
Sunday, May 16
Baccalaureate
A prerecorded video will be available to watch here at 9 a.m. EDT.
Add Baccalaureate to your calendar.
Baccalaureate is a welcoming and inclusive service for graduates and their families and friends to reflect together in thanksgiving for all that has brought them to this point; in celebration of their accomplishments; and in hope for all the future holds. We hope you will enjoy this joyful moment of gratitude, thanksgiving, and hope.
Monday, May 17
Commencement
10:30 a.m. EDT
Watch the livestream on Gettysburg.edu or YouTube
Health and safety
All graduates, guests, faculty, and staff attending the in-person Commencement ceremony are required to adhere to our community’s health and safety guidelines while on our campus. Visit the Better Together website to review our guidelines.
Guest arrival
During the registration process, your senior chose a time for you to arrive at Musselman Stadium. Seniors must share each guest's arrival time and QR code with their guests in advance of the guests' arrival at Musselman Stadium. Please arrive at your designated time to help us get you to your seat quickly and avoid long lines and wait times. All guests must be seated in Musselman Stadium by 10:15 a.m., when the gates will close.
- Masks are required on campus.
- Each guest will be expected to scan their QR code upon arrival at the Musselman Stadium gates.
- Upon scanning, the QR code includes your student’s name and the names of the registered guests.
- All bags will be checked as you enter the stadium.
- No high heels or spiked heels are permitted as they will damage the track and the turf on the field.
- Once in the stadium, guests should remain in their seats until the ceremony begins, the only exceptions being to use the restroom or grab water from one of our designated water stations.
- Upon entry, guests are not permitted to leave the stadium until the ceremony ends.
Ceremony
Large video screens will be set up in Musselman Stadium to visually highlight key components of the Ceremony, including the student procession. Live captions will also be available via large video screens for those in attendance, and closed captioning will be available for those viewing the livestream online, allowing attendees and viewers to see a real-time transcription of the ceremony.
Graduates will process through Penn Hall on their way to the stadium, and the procession will be livestreamed to the stadium as the graduates make their way to the ceremony site. A photographer will also take pictures of each student at Penn Hall. These photographs will be available for purchase.
The Class of 2021 Commencement Speaker is Michael Brown. Honorary Degrees will be given to Brown, Marian Wright Edelman, and Jean Driscoll. Read more about the speaker and honorary degree recipients.
Each graduate’s name will be announced and graduates will stand to be recognized.
Post Ceremony
Grab-and-go refreshments will be available to guests and graduates as you leave the stadium.We respectfully ask that you maintain social distancing while on campus, and do not congregate for an extended period of time.
Departure
All students and guests will be asked to depart from campus as soon as possible following the conclusion of the Commencement ceremony.
Seniors in residence on campus are required to move out of their residence halls by 9 p.m. on May 17. Keys must be returned to Residence Life at the Bullet Hole Patio between noon and 5 p.m., or at the Department for Public Safety drop box after 5 p.m. For additional move-out information, see the recent message from Director of Residential and First-Year Programs Danielle Phillips, sent on May 4.
More information as you plan your visit
- Accessibility: Accessibility services will be available. Learn more.
- Parking: As you approach campus, please follow signs to the designated parking lots. List of available lots.
- Facilities: Restrooms at Musselman Stadium will be open and several regular and ADA-accessible portable toilets will be available in the stadium, as well as on Memorial Field.
- Campus buildings: Please note that campus buildings, including the CUB, Jaeger Center, Musselman Library, and academic buildings, will be closed to guests on May 17.
- Bookstore: If you’d like to purchase Gettysburg College clothing and other items, consider ordering online from the Bookstore today and picking up your items on May 17 at our convenient walk-up window, located on the Lincoln Avenue side of the CUB. Additional options.
- Printables: Download and print a celebratory poster or yard sign to show your support for the Gettysburg College Class of 2021!
Additional information is available on the Class of 2021 Commencement website. Congratulations!
All the best,
Erin Eline Aumen
Commencement Coordinator and Associate Director, Constituent Relations
commencement@gettysburg.edu