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QCC Announces 2021 Commencement Ceremony Plans
Dr. Rockeymoore-Cummings Virtual Commencement Speaker
Contact: Karen Hutner
Office of Institutional Communications
khutner [at] qcc.mass.edu
Release Date:
4/9/2021
WORCESTER, MA— April 9, 2021 —Q Quinsigamond Community College has announced its May 21, 2021 Commencement Ceremony will be held virtually.
“The College came to this difficult decision after a review of current public health advice and the many unknown factors of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic’s course over the next months. Our first and foremost commitment is to the safety of our faculty, staff, students and their families,” said President Luis G. Pedraja, Ph.D. “While we are encouraged by the rollout of vaccines; many are still waiting to be vaccinated and current safety protocols preclude us from holding an in-person ceremony.”
QCC’s featured virtual commencement speaker will be nationally- recognized scholar and elected official, Maya Rockeymoore-Cummings, Ph.D.
Dr. Rockeymoore-Cummings has championed social justice causes in areas that include health equity, protection of social entitlement programs, income security, diversity and inclusion, and civil rights. Her career has spanned over 22 years of service in the United States Congress, the National Urban League, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and the nonprofit sector. Most recently, Dr. Rockeymoore-Cummings toured the country championing her late husband, Representative Elijah E. Cummings’ autobiography, “We’re Better than This: My Fight for the Future of Our Democracy.”
“We are honored to have such an esteemed and relevant speaker as Dr. Rockeymoore-Cummings at our commencement ceremony,” President Pedraja said. “She brings a focus on the impact of public policy on people of color, vulnerable populations, and marginalized communities, and works with others on ways to dismantle systemic inequalities found in our society, in order for all people to succeed and thrive.”
The College is offering free caps, gowns and tassels to all QCC August 2020, December 2020, and May 2021 graduates for this year’s commencement.
“I look forward to welcoming the Class of 2021 into the esteemed group of QCC alumni who have done so much for our community,” President Pedraja added.
To learn more visit www.QCC.edu/commencement-2021 .
For more information about QCC, contact Josh Martin, Director of Institutional Communications at 508.854.7513 or jmartin [at] qcc.mass.edu
Quinsigamond Community College is the most affordable higher education in Worcester County. As a regional leader in education and workforce development, QCC serves the diverse educational needs of Central Massachusetts by providing affordable, accessible, and high quality programming leading to transfer, career, and lifelong learning.