Fulbright College Virtually Celebrates Spring 2020 Graduates, With Commencement Sites and More

Nearly 4,830 students recently graduated from the University of Arkansas during this month’s 2020 Spring Commencement virtual celebrations, and more than a fourth of those new alumni are from our very own J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.  

And while these unprecedented times caused this spring’s May 8-9 celebration to go virtual, the university and college recognized our students through a new U of A commencement website, a new Fulbright College commencement website, a #GoRedforGrads2020 social media celebration and the lighting of Razorback Stadium. 

The new U of A commencement website features personalized profiles of graduates, a virtual commencement program and video messages from Chancellor Joe Steinmetz, Provost Jim Coleman, the deans of each academic college and school, as well as honorary degree recipient Charles Scharlau. 

The new Fulbright College commencement website features messages from Dean Todd Shields and each of the departments and schools in the college; words of encouragement from across campus; video messages from our featured student speaker, Maya Ungar, and our featured faculty member, Michael Riha; a special virtual performance by the Inspirational Chorale; a listing of our 2020 graduates, the students who are graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA, and the conferral of a posthumous degree; as well as some special social media content. 

“We are so proud of and excited for our Class of 2020! They survived so much – including this last strange and unprecedented semester that has made this a historic graduation,” Shields said. “But in the face of these and many more obstacles, our students grew and adapted, and their resiliency brought them to this milestone.” 

Shields added that graduates should, “take a moment to reflect on just how momentous this accomplishment is, and on all the incredible potential your future holds! I know it can seem overwhelming, too, but so many good things lie ahead, and earning your degree was an important step to help you accomplish the next goals that you now set your mind to. I also hope you know how inspiring you and the entire Class of 2020 are. I wish you all the very best for your future – and can’t wait to see what you accomplish next!” 

To celebrate our 2020 graduates, the U of A also encouraged everyone to Go Red for Grads on Friday, May 8, to show their pride in our 2020 graduates by wearing Razorback red and sharing their photos on social media with hashtags #GoRedforGrads2020 and #UARK20. Check out our Fulbright College Facebook and Instagram pages. 

Additionally, the Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium glowed red the nights of May 8-9 beginning in recognition of our graduates. 

Spring commencement ceremonies were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting the celebration online. All 2020 graduates are also invited to participate in Fall 2020 Commencement taking place Dec. 18-19. Event details will be available by August. 

“We know that this is not what any of us originally planned, but we are committed to celebrating our graduates now and also giving them the opportunity to walk across the stage and be recognized at commencement in December,” said Chancellor Steinmetz. “We hope students share the online resources with family and friends now, and we’ll all look forward to celebrating together, in-person, as soon as it’s safe to do so.” 

Portions of this story also appeared in the University of Arkansas News publication.