Iowa City, IA – On May 14, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications hosted a graduation event in front of Adler Journalism Building to honor the graduating class of 2021.

Though skies were cloudy with a light drizzle throughout the day, the smiles of the graduates and their family members were more than enough to make it an ideal day for a celebration.

“I was just so glad I was able to go and watch my son walk across the stage,” said Cathy Martin, mom of graduating student Jack Martin. “It may not have been a normal graduation experience, but it meant a lot to be able to attend this.”

From 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. staff members, current students, and family members cheered as students walked across the stage while their families took photos.  Afterwards, each student received a “swag bag” for their accomplishments. 

The event started by honoring students who have earned the School’s Nonprofit Leadership and Philanthropy (NLP) certificate. Jennifer Vick, who co-directs the program, was joined by Sarah Nelson, her administrative assistant, in announcing the students and handing out certificates. 

Students who earned the School’s Event Management certificate walked across the stage next. Tracy Hufford, who coordinates the certificate’s highly successful internship program, joined Heather Spangler, the director of the program, in welcoming event manage students on stage. 

During the afternoon, students who earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication crossed the stage. Several SJMC professors, including Charles Munro, Kajsa Dalrymple, Brian Ekdale, and Melissa Tully, took turns announcing student names and handing out bags.

Held outside and timed to ensure that large groups did not gather, the event was held with everyone’s safety in mind. “We organized the event in a way that conformed with the University’s COVID policies,” said graduate program coordinator Jennifer Cooper. “By hosting the event outdoors, controlling the number of people who would be present at one time, and by having treats for the graduates that were individually wrapped, we were able to have a safe and meaningful event.” Even with these precautions, families were able to celebrate the accomplishments of their graduates, and graduates are now able to say that they “walked” for their college graduation.  

Over the past year,  students have lost much of the college experience that they had known as freshman and sophomores. SJMC was determined to create this event in an effort to give these students a sense of normalcy, and to reward them for being resilient in these unprecedented times. Ironically, it was also a group of students that came up with the brilliant idea of hosting a small-scale celebration in front of Adler.

“The pandemic affected everyone, and talking with our students, the mentors noticed that one of the most prevalent feelings among students was a sense of isolation.  Many students had attended a year’s worth of classes from their dorm rooms, or their apartments,” said Jennifer Cooper. “Having an in-person celebration, even if it meant organizing something with social distancing in mind, would give students a lift.”

SJMC cannot express enough how proud the School is of this graduating class. As David Ryfe, director of the School put it,  “if their ability to be successful in this this difficult time is any indication, these students will have plenty of professional success.  We are excited to see what they do next!”