University of Limerick class of 2020 to get ‘full graduation ceremony’ confirms UL

UL Graduation 2020 to go ahead. UL GEMS graduates celebrate their conferring. Picture: Alan Place/FusionShooters.

University of Limerick class of 2020 to get ‘full graduation ceremony’ confirms UL

By I Love Limerick correspondent Mary Caroline McCarthy

Pictured after graduation in the Foundation building foyer. Pictures.. University of Limerick

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It has been confirmed that a full graduation ceremony will take place for the University of Limerick class of 2020 as long as a second wave of Covid-19 does not hit the country again.

The class of 2020 feels very strongly about having an official ceremony. There have been virtual graduations, but the students feel that they are missing out on a rite of passage and are passionate about their graduation taking place, socially distanced or not.

UL Student Life has released a statement on their website to update on the situation, “Since the communication to students went out about graduation being online in August, we tried to push for a socially distanced graduation to be held in August. If this was not possible, for a proper graduation ceremony to be postponed to January 2021.”

It had been previously decided by UL Student Life and the higher authorities in UL to host a socially distanced graduation in September, but this plan has been scrapped due to the recent surge in Covid-19 cases.

UL Student Life has now confirmed that they are “delighted” to tell everyone that the University has agreed, “as long as a second wave does not hit before this and it is safe to do so”, to have a full ceremony in January 2021.  

Graduation Update: ?

”Your Student Officers understand how important graduation is to the students and their families each year. Three of us being fourth years ourselves also…”

View full statement here https://t.co/YXr9qLv1iX pic.twitter.com/7gTBm1buSt

— UL Student Life (@UL_StudentLife) August 6, 2020

LeighAnn Mulrennan, 21, a member of the graduating class of 2020 is glad that UL has finally come to a decision and is allowing them to celebrate their graduation saying, “I was disappointed with their decision that was announced in May, I felt it was extremely premature. Then when restrictions started easing, I felt like they didn’t try and consider other options. We also got a lot of conflicting emails with mixed messages which confused the issue even more.”

“Today is the day we officially graduate in absentia, I feel that more could have been done to make this day more special even if it has to be online, to me, it feels very anticlimactic. However, I am grateful to the University for listening to us and choosing to postpone our graduation rather than outright cancelling it.”

For more information on the University of Limerick graduation, click HERE

For more stories on the University of Limerick, click HERE.