Transcription of 2020 Commecement Annoucement Video from Drake University President Marty Martin

Hello. I'm Marty Martin, President of Drake University, coming to you from my office in Old Main. I hope this message finds each of you safe and healthy, indeed, the same for your family and friends. As I stand here today on Friday, April the 10th, as you can see over my right shoulder, there is sunshine coming through my window.

And if I look out that window, I see a typical scene for Drake's campus in the springtime. Beautiful green grass, a blooming magnolia tree right outside this window, daffodils coming up out of the ground, as well as tulips. Indeed, it is one of the things that makes Drake so special is how beautiful this campus is in the springtime.

But of course, this campus is missing something, and that is you. We're missing all of you, and we appreciate why we can't be here because of the need to react to the crisis of COVID-19. But nevertheless, it is a loss that we're not all on this campus together right now, being able to continue our studies in person, as well as celebrate the spring in so many ways that we do so.

But that is something that we all have had to reconcile ourselves to for the very good reason that we need to do so to take care of ourselves and to take care of our community. And of course, as we've said many times over, we're going to do our part.

Now, one of the things that we are losing because of COVID-19 is our live commencement celebration in May. And that is indeed a loss because it is one of the best days, if not the best day, on this campus, when we're able to come together and celebrate the accomplishments of our students as they transition from student to graduate because of all the hard work and effort they've invested in their education.

And we love being in the Knapp Center and calling each student's name and having them walk across the stage and have their posse cheer for them in every way they possibly can. It's indeed a great moment, a great event of celebration. But the fact that we cannot do that live because of COVID-19 in no way diminishes your accomplishment nor the pride that we take in your accomplishment.

And so we are going to celebrate. And we're going to celebrate in a very robust fashion. We're going to celebrate as much as we possibly can in a virtual space. And so what you're going to see is we're going to launch a social media campaign celebrating you, celebrating your accomplishment. We're going to stand up a commencement website celebrating you, celebrating your accomplishment.

And then on Saturday, May the 16th, we're going to have our virtual commencement. We'll have our board chair, Peggy Fisher, myself, Provost Madison, our deans, all in our academic regalia, and we're going to go through just as we would if we were live the process of officially conferring your degree on you. And again, we're going to do that on Saturday, May the 16th. That will be recorded. You'll be able to engage with that whenever you choose.

And I encourage you to engage with it. Indeed, think about how you might create your own virtual celebration and bring in your family and friends who can't be there with you at this moment in time. But find that opportunity to go through that formal commencement to have that degree conferred upon you and take pride in that moment that you deserve, that you most richly deserve.

And of course, as we've already said, you're all invited to come back to campus, to come back to the Knapp Center in December to participate in the winter commencement, to walk across that stage, to have your name called, that I will have the joy of shaking your hands and your posse will have the joy of celebrating you in that moment. And these two things are not mutually exclusive. We encourage you to participate in this virtual celebration, but then if you are willing and able to come back in December and participate in that live commencement.

So again, we can't be together in person, but that doesn't in any way mitigate the pride that we feel in you, mitigate in any way the accomplishment that you have achieved. And so we want to celebrate that, and we're going to celebrate that virtually here in May. And then if you want, live and in person in December.

So watch for more information about our social media campaign or commencement website and make sure that you take every opportunity to participate in both. And then, as well, continue to stay safe, continue to stay healthy, continue to stay engaged. And we'll look forward to all of us getting through this just as soon as we possibly can. Thank you.

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