KOKOMO, Ind. – Indiana University Kokomo applauds the achievements of the Class of 2020, at a virtual recognition ceremony.
While Commencement had been postponed to fall due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke said the campus wanted to honor its 651 graduates near the time the ceremony would have been held.
“We are so proud of these students, and everything they have accomplished during their time at IU Kokomo,” she said. “I commend them for their perseverance as they finished their degrees under circumstances none of us could have anticipated. We look forward to staying connected with them and hearing about their successes, whether they go to work immediately, become entrepreneurs, or continue on to graduate school. We hope to honor them with our traditional Commencement ceremony later this year, when it is safe to do so.”
The Class of 2020 represents 41 Indiana counties, 12 states, and 16 countries. First generation college students make up 34 percent of the class, and 35 are graduating with 4.0 grade point averages.
Seventy-three students are earning master’s degrees, 570 are earning their bachelor’s, and 11 are receiving associate degrees. Some students completed more than one degree.
The School of Nursing has the largest number of graduates, with 176 earning the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The second most frequent degree being awarded in the Bachelor of General Studies, with 61.
Each graduate will receive an email from University Events, with a timeline and a link to the Commencement website, which goes live May 5. There, graduates can search by name and find video remarks from IU President Michael A. McRobbie, Sciame-Giesecke, the deans of each IU Kokomo school, and Mattie Tom, student body president. Please go to iuk.edu for links to commencement pages.
Other plans, in addition to the website, include:
Caps and gowns: Herff Jones will ship graduates' caps and gowns to their home so they can wear it with family and friends, take photos and then bring it to their campus-based live event later in the year, or return it via a provided return shipping label. There will also be a cap decoration contest.
At-home delivery: All of IU’s 22,000-plus degree recipients will receive two special gifts and a note of congratulations. They'll also receive a campus-specific bicentennial poster commemorating their place as a graduate in our Bicentennial Year. The Indiana University Alumni Association Kokomo Region is also mailing a special gift to each graduate.
Online commencement program: The traditional commencement program booklet – with the elements of the celebration listed, and graduates' names as normally displayed – will be available for download.
Celebratory music: The commencement website will also be home to various selections of IU-connected groups performing specific tunes.
Virtual displays: Even though they’re not on campus, graduates will be able to use virtual filters to “photograph” themselves in front of iconic campus locations.
Indiana University Kokomo celebrates 75 years as north central Indiana’s choice for higher education.