Dear past, present, and future Highlanders:

I ask that we stand together at this time in support of our graduating senior class. For many UCR Seniors, Commencement has been driving their commitment to academics for the past four years. With all the uncertainty surrounding the COVID19 outbreak, many seniors are anxious and dissapointed to hear that June 2020 Commencement might be virtual instead of in-person. I, along with many of my fellow UCR graduating seniors ask to postpone comencement in order to experience an in-person celebration.

Sudents have worked tirelessly to get here and have earned the right to be recognized. Postponing the date of Commencement to allow an in-person celebration will provide students with the recognition and support they've worked so hard to recieve. A virtual graduation cannot give each student the proper celebration and honor that they deserve in obtaining their degree.

As many of us know, college graduation marks an end of an era- A time to reflect on the past four years which have created memories of a lifetime. I am thankful for every mistake, failure, and lesson learned here at UCR. It's made our seniors who they are today- Passionate individuals eager to move mountains and change the world.

In the words of Whoopi Goldberg, “If you’re willing to stand up for what you believe . . . you'll do great things and will be able to handle whatever comes.”

So UCR community, let's take pride in how far we’ve come and show faith in how far we'll go. This in-person ceremony will demonstrate that our Riverside Community can overcome any obstacle that stands in its way- including a global crisis.

Thank you for supporting the UCR Class of 2020!

-Always a Highlander at Heart,

C.S.