Photo courtesy of Stonehill College//
By Anastasia Pumphrey
Seniors have started an online petition to allow parents or guests to attend the in-person graduation to be held on May 15.
The petition, which as of April 5 has over 1,600 signatures, was started by seniors Sydney and Emma DeJoie and Madison Hitchcock.
The petition reads, “While we, the undersigned, recognize the school administration’s duty is to make difficult decisions, we respectfully request that Stonehill College allow parents to join in commemorating academic and personal achievement and be allowed to attend Commencement 2021.”
The students cited Massachusetts schools Curry College and Northeastern University who as of right now are both holding in-person graduation with guests allowed.
A recent decision about commencement from one school near Stonehill, Bridgewater State University, has added more weight to the students’ push to include families at graduation. President Frederick Clark wrote that “we are fulfilling our promise to the Class of 2020 and to the Class of 2021 by announcing ceremonies that will accommodate every student who wishes to participate at commencement ceremonies in-person… as well as their families.”
Clark said that while state and public guidelines are preventing ceremonies from being held on the Bridgewater State campus, the University has opted to hold their commencement at Gillette Stadium, which he said is equipped to hold the nearly 5,000 eligible graduates and their families.
Their commencement will also be held later in the summer, from July 29-31, which Clark said was decided “with an eye toward the timing of the vaccine schedule for Massachusetts.”
“We know it has been a tough year and having graduation with our parents present will be a memorable moment,” Sydney DeJoie said. “We feel as though we are honoring our parents because they have been there for us every step of the way.”
DeJoie said her father is an alumnus of the College and was “very disappointed” with the news.
“When we first got the email about our commencement, I was disappointed,” Madison Hitchcock said. “I know my parents are just as proud of my accomplishments as I am so knowing that they would not be able to attend took away from the importance of that day. I know that without them there, it would not be the way I’d like to end my Stonehill career.”
DeJoie said that she and her sister made the petition in hopes of giving a voice to senior students who have had a lot taken away from them because of the pandemic. “Our end goal is to have something to look forward to in our final months… We believe that if there is one thing we deserve it’s to honor ourselves as well as our parents in this milestone… We could not have done it without them.”
The petition arose from a March 5 email from President Rev. John Denning, C.S.C., announcing the decision about commencement.
“I recognize this news is disappointing to the many loved ones who have supported their students during this challenging time, but we feel this is the safest way to be able to provide our graduates in-person Commencement events,” Denning said.
Denning also announced that there would be a change in date, from the previously scheduled May 23 to the now closer date of May 15 at 10 a.m. He said that the Baccalaureate Mass will still be celebrated the evening before at 4 p.m.
Denning said that this decision is contingent on COVID-19 numbers dropping and staying low by the time May comes around.
“While there are encouraging signs that we can work to mitigate further spread of the virus, our higher numbers are an indication that despite the diligence and dedication of our students and employees, the challenges presented by COVID-19 have not abated,” Denning said. “The College remains prepared, if necessary, to take further steps to mitigate any additional spread of the virus to help us continue the semester, in-person, in a safe and productive manner.”
Despite this, an update on March 19 detailing an uptick in COVID numbers over the course of March 17-18 could affect in-person graduation. These numbers have grown to nearly 40 positive cases in the past two weeks, as of April 5, no further updates about commencement have been given.
“While there are encouraging signs that we can work to mitigate further spread of the virus, our higher numbers are an indication that despite the diligence and dedication of our students and employees, the challenges presented by COVID-19 have not abated,” Denning said. “The College remains prepared, if necessary, to take further steps to mitigate any additional spread of the virus to help us continue the semester, in-person, in a safe and productive manner.”
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