May 8: Spring Commencement
Saturday, May 8, 2021
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Virtual Event
Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato is celebrating its 2021 spring semester student commencement by providing graduates “commencement-in-a-box” packages and personalized photo opportunities this week on a graduation stage while holding a virtual ceremony and launching a special website beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 8.
The three traditional commencement ceremonies scheduled for Saturday were cancelled in March because of the COVID-10 pandemic. However, graduates were invited to take part in a “graduate walk,” an in-person professional photo opportunity on campus this week (May 3-5), in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom to celebrate with their guests.
“We’re disappointed that we are not able to hold in-person commencement ceremonies again this spring,” said Minnesota State Mankato President Richard Davenport. “We remain dedicated to keeping our campus and community safe during the pandemic. But we are celebrating our graduates and their accomplishments throughout the week. The ‘grad walks’ allow students to wear their graduation regalia, walk across a stage and have a professional photo taken with their family and friends. A special virtual ceremony will be held Saturday, and we invite all of our graduates back to participate in an in-person commencement ceremony in the future.”
Minnesota State Mankato will award more than 2,200 degrees at the end of spring semester. Included are more than 1,870 undergraduate degrees and more than 370 graduate degrees and specialist certifications.
The “commencement-in-a-box” packages were presented to graduates after their “graduate walk” or will be shipped to graduates. Included inside the purple-and-gold branded boxes were a diploma cover, two commencement programs, small branded gifts for the graduates and a personalized note from Davenport.
The University will launch its virtual graduation special website, https://mankato.mnsu.edu/mavgrad, at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 8. The website will include videos from Davenport and commencement speeches from graduating seniors representing each of the University’s six colleges. The website will include the names of each graduate and a graduation photo gallery where photos will be shared that graduates, faculty and staff tag with #MavGrad2021.
Pre-recorded student commencement speeches will be delivered by Lydia Prior, Sioux City, Iowa, College of Arts and Humanities; Jacqueline Asplund, Jönköping, Sweden, College of Science, Engineering and Technology; Riya Arora, Delhi, India, College of Allied Health and Nursing; Laki Omar, Chaska, Minnesota, College of Education; Kwadwo Owusu, Shakopee, Minnesota, College of Business; and Marilyn Allen, Flandreau, South Dakota, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,604 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 30 colleges and seven universities.
