It all begins at 10 a.m. Saturday Dec. 11. An estimated 900 seniors will gather at the Siegel Center to signify the end of their undergraduate – and some graduate – studies at VCU.
After listening to introductions by VCU President Eugene P. Trani and to a speech by U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R – 7th District, the seniors will be recognized for achieving their bachelor’s degree and graduate students for their master’s and doctorates.
But it all might not have happened if it were not for Patricia Worley, the coordinator for VCU’s commencement.
“It’s an almost-never-ending process,” Worley said, describing the task of planning the commencement ceremony. “Because once we get finished with December we immediately start thinking toward May. I try though to sort of mentally to give myself a break. Because it really is, you know, just a lot of detail. So I try to give myself a break.
“I want this to be an event that everybody is really proud of – faculty, staff, administration, grads and parents. I want it to be as perfect as it possibly can be.”
Those seniors not yet finished with classes until after the winter intersession will receive their diplomas in May.
“In May the diplomas are actually handed out at the ceremony,” Worley said. They’re not handed out in December until January. We give out the Ph.D.s at the event and the others are just recognized. Dr. Trani confers the degree. The dean (of their school/college) presents them the document. The president confirms the degree.”
Stephen Gottfredson, the interim provost and vice president for academic affairs called commencement “a celebration of the students.”
“It’s a beginning of a different phase of their life,” Gottfredson said. “They now have the responsibility of going forward in the world armed now with the skills that they will need to continue as lifelong learners because life is an intellectual journey.”
Many of the students scheduled to graduate, however, will not complete their final exams until after the ceremony.
“I’m still pretty stressed out,” said Kelly Liakos, a criminal justice major. “I’m really excited about graduating but I don’t have that sense of relief yet. In high school (graduation) was actually an end to something. With this I don’t think I’m going to feel that way until after I’m actually finished with school and everything.”
It’s an important occasion for her parents, because on Saturday Liakos becomes the second member of her immediate family to earn a college diploma. Her father was the first.
“Some of my aunts and uncles have – and several of my cousins have – but as far as my parents, and grandparents, just my dad. That’s it.”
Gottfredson talked about the sacrifice parents and students make.
“The parents sacrifice by footing the bill or helping with the bill,” he said. “The families sacrifice through the time that they lose with the person who is going to school. And you can see that they all feel an extraordinary sense of satisfaction.”
Like many other upcoming graduates, Liakos is already working on a game plan for her career after college.
“I’d like to go to grad school, but first I have to get a job because I don’t have health insurance,” she said. “So I’m going to have to work for a while and then probably start grad school next fall, hopefully.”
In December, students’ families are seated on a first-come, first-served basis.
“I think it’s a wonderful event,” Worley said. “I have always been impressed with what a really positive experience it is for faculty and staff, for students, for the grads and for their parents.”
On the other hand, Gottfredson sees it as students surviving in a changing world:
“The world changes so quickly, and we’ve tried to give our graduates the skills that will help them survive in that kind of environment.”
While the December commencement does not yield nearly as many graduates as the May ceremony, Worley said she expects a substantial turnout Saturday.
“We always have a huge crowd as long as I’ve been involved in the December commencement, but we’ve never had the fire marshal shut the doors on us,” she said. “It’s been a really large number of people. December commencement is pretty new. It started again in the past four years, I believe.”
Speaking about the relative newness of the December ceremony, Gottfredson said the individual departmental celebrations are “slimmer.”
“There are fewer of them than there are in May,” he said, “and I think that’s going to be changing.”
Because of budget issues the departments have not been able to give as much individual recognition to the students. He predicted, however, that the individual schools will be doing more in the future to celebrate these students’ achievements at a departmental level.
“I think that (commencements are) all just incredible times of pride and joy, but there’s sadness too, because you know you’re leaving your friends. And I guess it’s allegedly time to be a grownup. Perish the thought.
“Starting in late January, early February I’ll start the May process. And then in late September and early October I’ll start the December process.”
According to the records and registration office, the University will issue 1,878 diplomas in January.
Gottfredson would like that, because he views the event as an important opportunity for VCU’s faculty and the administration to offer congratulations to the people they have worked with for at least the past four years.
“I never had the opportunity to attend my own undergraduate commencement, and I’ve always regretted it.”