Shreveport, LA—LSU Shreveport will host its first in-person commencement ceremony since December 2019, before the initial COVID-19 outbreak. The university will confer summer graduates on December 16, and fall graduates on December 17. Both days will follow a schedule of two ceremonies split alphabetically, one at 9 a.m. and another at 2 p.m.
Educational institutions nationwide faced difficult decisions regarding graduation. LSUS opted for virtual ceremonies to prioritize safety and to include students facing travel restrictions. Graduates particularly embraced the “Zoom wall,” a large-scale virtual screen that displayed each student attending via Zoom. Many graduates maintained the tradition of dressing in regalia.
The university’s leadership team is excited to return to in-person commencement traditions including the celebratory processional led by the Shreveport Second Line Brass Band. The keynote address will be delivered by Porter Braswell, the CEO and cofounder of Jopwell, the leading career advancement platform for Black, Latinx, and Native American students and professionals. A diversity expert, Braswell advises over 100 of America’s leading companies on how to achieve a more representative workplace, while also creating professional opportunities for Jopwell’s community. Graduates or loved ones who cannot attend in person are welcome to watch the ceremony live on the LSU Shreveport Facebook page.
“Crossing the stage at commencement is symbolic of closing one chapter in life and moving on to the next,” said Darlenna Atkins, the LSUS Registrar. “We are so excited that our graduates will have the opportunity to experience an in-person ceremony to celebrate their great accomplishment. One of the most rewarding parts of my role at LSUS is seeing the pride and joy of students and their families as they participate in the momentous occasion. The university has made several precautions as we adhere to public safety concerns, while continuing this commemorative tradition.”
Masks will be required for all in attendance.
LSU Shreveport was founded in 1967 and offers a wide array of nationally accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including a doctoral degree. The university’s mission is to educate a diverse population of graduate and undergraduate students; engage in regional and global thought leadership through community collaboration and service; and innovate to enhance the application of knowledge and intellectual discovery through faculty and student research and creative endeavors.
