The ceremonies took place indoors on Aug. 26 and 27 to make up for June’s ceremonies that were cut short due to extreme heat
By SONORA SLATER — campus@theaggie.org
Makeup commencement ceremonies for spring 2022 UC Davis graduates were held on Aug. 26 and 27, according to a recent press release, providing an opportunity for about 300 graduating students to celebrate their milestone accomplishment after June’s ceremonies were cut short due to extreme heat. A third makeup ceremony is scheduled to take place on Dec. 10.
The university sent out a survey to spring 2022 graduates following the canceled ceremony, asking them to vote on suggested times for makeup commencement ceremonies, as well as to rank the importance of various graduation elements.
Erin Klausen, a member of the class of 2022 who graduated with a degree in environmental sciences and management, described the survey after she took it in July.
“[They] asked us to rank the importance of certain graduation elements from not important to very important,” Klausen said via Instagram Direct Message. “I hope they actually take some of that feedback to heart.”
According to the press release, both days’ programs were streamlined, lasting only around 30 to 45 minutes. The release went on to say that speakers included biology graduate Sana Sayyid and UC Davis Chancellor Gary May, who announced a gift for students who registered to graduate as part of the class of 2022.
Graduates will either receive a one-year complimentary membership to the California Aggie Alumni Association or, if they were already a lifetime member, a $30 gift certificate to the campus bookstore, according to the release.
The release also explained the process involved in reading names as students crossed the stage.
“The university used professional name readers — with acting and voice-over experience — to announce the students,” the release reads. “Alongside the ramp to the stage, Neil Tanner and Maura Soden shared duties for checking with students on pronunciation and reading their names.”
Receptions that followed the ceremony included cookies and lemonade.
Marielle Rikkelman, a member of the class of 2022 who graduated with a degree in animal science, described her experience at the Aug. 27 makeup graduation.
“[It ran] smoothly and it was very fast, but the whole time I still felt like […] the original thing […] was stolen since I wasn’t graduating with all my original friends,” Rikkelman said via Instagram Direct Message. “Only about 1/4 (give or take) of the people who could have come did, so it still felt foreign the whole time despite being run quite well.”
Written by: Sonora Slater — campus@theaggie.org
