52 "mini-ceremonies" were held by the University of North Georgia (UNG) over the weekend to honor the commencement experience of nearly 600 fall graduates.
The university organized the events, which the UNG Communications Department said were held over a 36-hour period across Saturday and Sunday, in order to give the ceremonies a "unique and personalized" experience despite the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
With social distancing guidelines in place, each graduate was able to invite up to four family members or friends to witness the ceremony, with the guests standing nearby as the student who walked across the stage of the Convocation Center.
"I'm over the moon," said David Esteban Loarca, a first-generation college graduate whose parents and two of his five siblings watched him graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. "I'm proud of UNG President Bonita Jacobs and the school for handling a tough situation, which allowed me to spend a special moment with my family."
UNG President Bonita Jacobs presided over the ceremonies, with 594 graduates in total receiving their diplomas.
