Provided by University of Maryland Global Campus
Educational innovation became urgent and inevitable during the pandemic. Many long-held traditions had to be abandoned to avoid crowds and the inevitable contamination they incurred. The University of Maryland Global Campus devised this meaningful innovation to provide a safe yet personal graduation experience for thousands of graduates and their guests
On May 12-17, 2022 UMGC hosted a “Spring Stateside Grad Walk” at the College Park Marriott Conference Center providing opportunities for graduates to enjoy an innovative graduation ex-perience. Graduates were invited to reserve individual time slots during the Grad Walk week. Graduates were able to cross the commencement stage, hear their names read aloud, and capture videos and photos in cap and gown—while their guests watched directly in front of the stage. Additional engagement activities were planned in the conference center including a “celebration zone” sponsored by the UMGC Alumni Association, a UMGC Gear Store, and family-friendly selfie stations. This flexible format allowed the university to include the graduates from 2020 and 2021 who, because of the pandemic, were unable to enjoy a formal ceremony. It also greatly reduced the risk of pandemic-related cancellation. Virtual components for all stateside graduates included an online ceremony, viewed by more than 2,200, and an online gallery of spring graduates. The in-person event attracted more than 3,300 graduates from the UMGC classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 as well as some 17,000 guests. More than 160 faculty and staff volunteered during Grad Walk Week.
The university is currently planning to host another Grad Walk this winter and hopes that it will be met with the same enthusiasm as in spring.