Plans for Commencement and Reunion

Please Note: This letter has been updated. On February 9, President Conboy sent a letter to the Class of 2020 stating that the students will now be invited back to celebrate their graduation on campus sometime in 2022. 

February 5, 2021

Dear Members of the Saint Mary’s Community,

Last spring, based on the information available at the time, the College made the decision to postpone the 2020 in-person Commencement ceremony to May 29, 2021. College leadership did so with the full intention of safely welcoming our graduates back to campus this year. However, with guidance from public health officials, we announce today the difficult decision to postpone the in-person 2020 Commencement ceremony.

Earlier today graduates from the Class of 2020 were informed of this news. We sent a similar message to our alumnae who would have returned to campus in June to celebrate their Reunion, including those whose Reunion was postponed last year. While we all desperately wish to gather together in person, it would be extremely challenging to host these live events safely. Bringing people to campus from all across the nation and the world is just too risky given the current public health projections. 

At this time, because we are expecting this year’s graduating class to complete their semester on campus, plans for an in-person 2021 Commencement continue, albeit with safety modifications.

In my email to the Class of 2020, I commended them, noting how they have persevered in spite of the pandemic, starting their next chapters with the tenacity we hope to inspire at Saint Mary’s. Our newest alumnae are doing great things! Many are pursuing graduate degrees, while others are beginning careers in locations far from the safety and comforts of home. I have also learned that several are providing life-saving service on the medical frontlines. As I hear these stories of what they have already accomplished since graduating, I am so proud of how they are using their Saint Mary’s education to be changemakers and forces of good in the world. I can only hope that this serves as an inspiration to our future graduates, for they too will face their own unforeseen circumstances as they leave our beloved campus. 

I wish to thank each of you for your continued efforts to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on our campus. I pray for the safety and good health of our community and a successful end to the academic year. 

Best regards,

Katie Conboy, Ph.D.
President