For the first time since 2019, graduates of Oregon State University will be able to accept their diplomas in front of friends and family this spring.
In the opening months of the pandemic in 2020, OSU canceled all in-person commencement activities. In 2021, the school held a procession and ceremony at Reser Stadium, but the event was for graduates only. Everyone else had to watch on a livestream.
Now, OSU says the family and friends of graduates will be welcome at in-person ceremonies scheduled for both the Corvallis and Bend campus in mid-June. Both events will be held outdoors, and the school says masks or proof of vaccination will not be required.
In a press release, the university said it "will continue to monitor risks associated with COVID-19 in the coming months" and communicate any changes to the scheduled ceremonies via its website.
The University of Oregon says it’s also planning an in-person commencement ceremony in June. The school has not yet announced details of the event.