A congratulatory message from University President Geraldine Jones highlights the achievements of more than 1,000 students. Celebratory items also will be mailed to graduates' homes.
Although Cal U won’t be holding a formal Winter Commencement ceremony for graduating seniors, the University will honor and celebrate this important milestone in their lives.
Celebratory boxes from Cal U are expected to arrive at graduates’ homes by mid-December. Inside, brand-new alumni will find a congratulatory message from University President Geraldine Jones, a mortarboard and red 2020 tassel, and an Alumni Association pin among other special items to help graduates celebrate their accomplishment. Graduates will also receive their academic honors cords, if earned, in this mailing.
A second mailing to graduates in early 2021 will include diplomas and a graduation program.
More than 1,000 graduate and undergraduate students earned their degrees from the University in August or December 2020.
“Earning a Cal U degree is a monumental achievement, and we want to help our graduates celebrate even though we weren’t able to safely gather together,” said Jodie Bonidie, academic events coordinator.”
Matthew and Haley Geyer, parents of a 4-year-old boy, earned their undergraduate degrees in August. Haley, who earned her bachelor’s in professional studies in education, has begun a dual certification master’s degree program at Cal U in early childhood and special education. Matthew studied management with a minor in marketing.
“It was more of a juggling act than anything,” Haley Geyer said. “You want to get good grades, but you also want to make sure your child is OK. I had to make sure he was busy if I needed to hop on a Zoom call. But overall, I think it went well. I’ve been in school since my son was 2, so he kind of knows now that mom has school now.”
Both parents are proud of their college degree for the example it sets for their son.
“My parents didn’t have college degrees, but they worked hard and that was passed down to me,” Matthew Geyer said. “If you take that hard work and get an education and have those skills, you can make your life a lot easier.”