Quinsigamond Community College to Hold Virtual Commencement Ceremony

Quinsigamond Community College will hold its first ever virtual commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 on Thursday, May 21 at 1:00 p.m. The ceremony, which was to originally have taken place at the DCU Center in Worcester, will now be streamed live online and graduates and their families will be able to experience the ceremony in the comfort and safety of their homes. While the Class of 2020 is certain to go down in the records books as having one of the most unique commencement ceremonies in history, with over 1,500 students expected to graduate this year, it is also one of largest.

“While the effects of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic have made it necessary for us to change the way we will be celebrating Commencement this year, this will in no way diminish the amazing accomplishments of the Class of 2020,” said QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja. “Our graduates have worked through incredible challenges, particularly these last few months as they have adjusted to modes of learning. Yet through it all we have seen the best that QCC has to offer and I am deeply moved and inspired by our students who have risen to these unprecedented challenges."

The choice to move to a virtual ceremony was one the Administration did not take lightly, according to President Pedraja. However, due to Governor Baker’s orders that limit gatherings to 10 people or less and the DCU Center being used as a field hospital for patient overflow, the College Administration felt this was in the best interest of its students, faculty and staff.

"Our virtual ceremony is going to be posted live at the same time as our original ceremony was intended to be held. I hope all students and their families gather around to watch commencement, look for their student's name and celebrate their amazing accomplishments," Dr. Pedraja continued. 

Diplomas will be mailed to all QCC graduates and when the current pandemic subsides, plans are in the works to have a physical ceremony at a later date, as yet to be determined. 

"I, along with the QCC Board of Trustees, look forward at that time to having the opportunity to congratulate each graduate in-person and welcome them into the QCC alumni family. Our QCC family has made an indelible impression on our local communities and many of the first-responders, nurses, respiratory therapists, police officers, firefighters are QCC graduates or soon to be graduates, who each and every day set out to make our world a better place," Dr. Pedraja added.

Visit QCC's Virtual Commencement Ceremony Page to stay up to date.