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Join Ole Miss’ virtual celebration of 2020 graduates at 12:00 p.m. CDT on Saturday

Cheers to the Class of 2020!

By Grayson Weir

Ole Miss will host a virtual celebration for graduates at 12:00 p.m. (noon) CDT on Saturday in place of the typical commencement ceremony.

The live event can be viewed here starting at noon.

Senior class President Cole Blue will make an address, Matt Lusco, president of the Ole Miss Alumni Association, will provide remarks and share a special announcement, and 2019 Homecoming King Carl Tart will lead a ceremonial turn of the tassel.Ole Miss Hall of Fame inductee Leah Davis, of Tupelo, will conclude the celebration by singing the alma mater. and will feature remarks from Chancellor Glenn Boyce, Provost Noel Wilkin, Ole Miss graduates and other special guests. (Hopefully the guests are cool)

“The university wanted to make sure that this day of traditional pomp and circumstance did not pass without recognizing the incredible achievements, character and spirit of our class of graduates,” Boyce said. “While we remain committed to hosting an in-person ceremony when it is safe for us to do so, the May 9 event is intended to mark this day as one of significance and celebration in the lives of our students.”

The Ole Miss Class of 2020 has had a wild end to its final semester in Oxford. After the seniors went off on spring break, the COVID-19 global pandemic began to shut down businesses, towns and college campuses nationwide. Midway through the week, an announcement came that classes would be cancelled from March 16-20 and all instruction would be conducted online for the remainder of the semester. The soon-to-be graduates would not return to campus, would not experience one last Double Decker, and would not get to share the joy of a final beer shower in right field.

Included in that list of “no mores” is the commencement ceremony and (often times) whiskey-filled turning of the tassels in the Grove. Attempts to arrange an in-person graduation for August are in the works, but may not be possible with such a large gathering during this period of physical distancing.

Pour a stiff drink and join The Cup in raising a glass to the Class of 2020!