In the first celebration of the Class of 2020, Lycoming College conferred the degrees of approximately 260 graduating seniors in a virtual ceremony on Saturday, May 16. The Conferral of Degrees, along with a list of graduates, and a senior photo album, can be viewed at: https://www.lycoming.edu/commencement/conferral-of-degrees.aspx.
The ceremony began as Kent Trachte, president of Lycoming College, offered some reflections on the experiences of the Class of 2020, and their contributions to Lycoming. “I know that you are disappointed that this pandemic has denied you the opportunity to experience many meaningful culminating senior year rituals: concerts that you would have performed, athletic contests in which you would have competed, research you would have presented, art work that you would have displayed in the Downtown Art Gallery, and social events that you would have shared. We share and appreciate your disappointments,” he said. “I want you to know, however, that despite the abbreviated nature of your final semester, your contributions to the Lycoming story have been truly extraordinary. You have greatly enriched the life of Lycoming College during your four years with us.”
Philip Sprunger, provost and dean of the College, along with Trachte, then continued with the ceremony of conferring and making official the class’s degrees. It was the 208th time the ceremony has taken place since the founding of the College, but the first time the ceremony was conducted virtually, without graduates present.
The Conferral of Degrees will be followed-up on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m., with the second celebration of the Class of 2020 — a traditional, in-person Commencement on the College campus.