Although COVID-19 crushed hopes for an in-person September commencement, Texas A&M University-San Antonio will still commemorate graduates of early 2020 with events this week.
Alumni Affairs has organized the first TAMUSApalooza, said Dr. Mary Kay Cooper, director of Alumni Engagement.
The event will allow alumni who have signed up to return to campus to pick up diploma covers and a mask that says ‘Pandemic Grad 2020.’ Graduates will be able to sign in, receive their gifts and take pictures under balloon arches.
Alumni can visit 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 22, 4-7 p.m., Sept. 23 and 1-4 p.m. Sept. 24 in front of parking lot 2. Alumni also can have their items mailed to them.
Virtual commencements for the colleges of Business, Arts and Sciences, and Education and Human Development will be shown at 3 p.m. Sept. 25 with all of the spring and summer 2020 graduates’ names and colleges. Speeches will be given before a slideshow starts to congratulate the graduates. Any photos and special messages submitted by alumni will be shown as well.
Cooper said the university had originally planned to hold an in-person ceremony on Sept. 25.
“I know it’s been hard for the graduates this year to not be able to walk across the stage in person, but I really want my alumni to feel connected, loved and taken care of, knowing that they have this option of these events,” Cooper said.