University of Maryland to Livestream Virtual Spring 2020 Commencement

For the first time, the University of Maryland will host its 2020 spring commencement virtually on Friday, May 22. As the university continues to emphasize the importance of social distancing, the ceremony will be streamed across multiple platforms and will include remarks by student commencement speaker Citrupa (Kat) Gopal ‘20, a biological sciences major, and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer '63. President Wallace D. Loh will confer degrees to the Spring 2020 graduates and confer honorary doctorates to the first African-American male undergraduate student admitted to UMD in 1951 and to the first African-American female student admitted in 1955. The virtual ceremony will also include messages for graduates from several special guests.

The university is distributing care packages to all Spring 2020 graduates which includes the official commencement program, a turtle pin and other items. Undergraduate seniors will all receive a cap and tassel. Additionally, UMD has called on graduates to share photos, videos and messages of memories, experiences and hope with fellow Terps using the hashtag #UMDgrad for the opportunity to be included in the virtual commencement ceremony. Throughout the program, students will be called upon to respond live on social media and to engage by leaving comments, using designated hashtags, and sharing photos.

WHO:

• University of Maryland President Wallace D. Loh
• The Honorable Steny H. Hoyer ‘63
• Student Commencement Speaker Citrupa (Kat) Gopal ‘20
• Several special guests
• Class of 2020 University of Maryland Graduates and Families

WHEN: Friday, May 22, 2020, 1 p.m.

WHERE: The ceremony will be streamed live on commencement.umd.edu, UMD’s Youtube channel, and on UMD’s Facebook page.

HASHTAG: Follow the conversation on social media and join in using #UMDgrad. For more information, visit www.commencement.umd.edu.