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The 番茄直播 community came together online to celebrate the creativity and resilience of the Class of 2020, whose final semester was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of graduates, students, family members, alumni and friends from across the globe watched as Skidmore conferred 642 degrees in an unprecedented virtual Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 30. The event was broadcast live from the Surrey-Williamson Inn on Skidmore鈥檚 campus, and streamed on Skidmore鈥檚 website and social media accounts.

The tribute included many of the usual components of a traditional Commencement ceremony 鈥� a touching rendition of Skidmore鈥檚 alma mater performed by Emma Berkowitz 鈥�20 and Lindsay Walsh 鈥�20; welcoming remarks by Jinan Al-Busaidi 鈥�20, senior class president; a speech by faculty speaker Jennifer C. Mueller; and greetings from President Philip A. Glotzbach, who invited graduates to rise and move their tassels from right to left, symbolizing the conferring of degrees. 

But this year was also unique: Like educational institutions across the United States and the world, the College suddenly switched to online learning this spring.鈥疍uring the Commencement ceremony, graduates鈥痝athered with friends and family members in smaller groups as part of global social distancing efforts to contain the spread of the disease.鈥�

Rather than walk across the stage at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), graduates, many wearing caps and gowns at home,鈥痺ere recognized during a live program. Diplomas were sent out by mail.

Praising the resilience of the Class of 2020, President Glotzbach noted there was no playbook for the pandemic, nor for life.

鈥淲e all had to make it up as we went along 鈥� rather like trying to keep an airplane flying while making emergency repairs.鈥疊ut you rose to the challenge. Along with so many people at our College, you displayed flexibility, inventiveness, perseverance and creativity,鈥� the president told graduates. 鈥淵ours is arguably one of the most resilient classes in the College鈥檚 history 鈥� perhaps the most resilient one.鈥� 

The president, who is retiring at the end of June following a distinguished, 17-year career at Skidmore, wore a medallion commissioned by the Board of Trustees for President Joseph C. Palamountain Jr. in 1987 and designed by the late Earl Pardon, a late professor of art. Evoking history, President Glotzbach spoke of the challenge that this generation faces and, referring to recent events and unrest, called racism 鈥渁n even greater plague 鈥� than COVID-19.鈥�

鈥淟ife will present you with myriad new challenges and opportunities along the way, many of which you cannot anticipate at this moment, but you will always be able to call upon what you鈥檝e learned over these past few months, what you鈥檝e proved yourself able to do. Cherish the confidence and celebrate the strength you鈥檝e gained in dealing with this pandemic.鈥�

In addition to the virtual ceremony, Skidmore is also preparing to host an in-person Commencement for the Class of 2020 at a later date.

Various departments and programs also organized a variety of other celebrations for graduates, each of whom also received a celebration box containing gifts, a letter from the president and any honor cords, stoles, Periclean Honors Forum medals, academic prizes or other awards that traditionally would be conferred during Commencement celebrations.

鈥淒espite a widespread pandemic that has crippled the world, we鈥檝e made it. What is typically a clich茅 statement heard at so many graduation ceremonies around the world every year, 鈥榳e made it鈥� means so much more to the class of 2020,鈥� said Jinan Al-Busaidi 鈥�20, senior class president. 鈥淧eople have said that the class of 2020 only got 3.75 years together, but in reality, our bond transcends any official graduation date. Although we are not together in person today, we are together in spirit.鈥�

In her speech, Jennifer Mueller, who was selected by members of the Class of 2020 to speak, discussed the challenges and importance of change.

鈥淎ll of us, at one time or another, must confront changes that disrupt and disorient and 鈥榖reak apart鈥� our worlds,鈥� said Mueller, associate professor of sociology and director of Skidmore鈥檚 Intergroup Relations Program. 鈥淐hange is a power you hold 鈥� to shape not just your world, but the world we all inhabit and share, a world in as deep need of 鈥榬eal鈥� change as ever and people courageous enough to lean in.鈥�

In addition to 435 Bachelor of Science and 206 Bachelor of Arts degrees,鈥疭kidmore also conferred the College鈥檚 final Master of Arts in Liberal Studies to Anna Taft of Ohio, who completed the degree remotely before the onset of the COVID-19 emergency.

The ceremony was a first for a liberal arts college that prides itself on its strong interpersonal experience on campus. It was organized by a working group of students, faculty and staff, who faced the unexpected task of putting together the College鈥檚 first ever online Commencement.鈥疶he group included student leaders Jinan鈥疉l-Busaidi 鈥�20, David Robakidze 鈥�20, Isabelle Bleckner 鈥�20 and Naira Abdula 鈥�20; Associate Dean of Faculty Ronald Seyb; Associate Dean of Student Affairs Mariel Martin; and Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations and College Events Michael Sposili.

You can send your own well wishes to the Class of 2020 by using #Skidmore2020 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can also share your Commencement sentiment using this online form. Posts will be compiled on this website.