Gadsden State Community College is postponing its fall
semester commencement ceremony due to coronavirus concerns. Kelley Pearce,
associate dean of enrollment and retention, confirmed the postponement
today. 

"With the increase in COVID-19 cases in our service area, it is the safest
decision for our students and their families as well as our faculty and
staff to postpone the graduation ceremony," she said. "We know how
important this milestone is for our students and their families so we are
hopeful that we will be able to celebrate our graduates in the spring." 

The commencement ceremony for Fall 2020 graduates was originally planned
for Dec. 17 at Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center. It is now tentatively set
for May 7, 2021, at Gadsden State Cherokee. 

"If the pandemic subsides and it is safe to resume mass gatherings of
people, we will more than likely host two ceremonies to accommodate all of
the graduates from both semesters," Pearce said. 

She said a final decision about the commencement in the spring will be
announced by March 31. If the coronavirus is still a concern, an
alternative celebration will be planned. 

In addition to the postponement of the fall semester commencement, Gadsden
State's Nursing Department has announced its traditional pinning ceremony
for registered nursing graduates will take place virtually. The virtual
ceremony will post to Gadsden State's social media platforms on Dec. 16.