And just like that, the Class of 2020 became part of the FDU alumni community. 

FDU’s first “virtual” conferral of degrees took place via the FDU website homepage and YouTube Live on Monday, May 18. 

With more than 3,200 graduates this year, students had their short pre-recorded grad greetings played and their names run on-screen in rolling-credits fashion in a program that lasted close to two hours. 

The commencement, capping a semester when university classes pivoted to online-only and campus all but closed, started with a message from President Christopher Capuano. 

“I certainly didn’t expect this afternoon that I would be greeting you online and not in person,” he said. “We must continue the course, continue working together while staying apart, and continue looking forward to being together one day soon.”

He said the virtual ceremony was not meant to replace an in-person commencement, but rather to uphold the original date of graduation and acknowledge the requirements fulfilled for the degrees. 

FDU says a full commencement celebration will be held when circumstances allow.

Still, some parents took to Instagram to express their disappointment. 

“Commencement a year later will not have the same impact, emotion, or relevance,” Instagram user (@jennyk1970) said under an FDU post. 

Others were more optimistic. 

“The pandemic will end,” said FDU alumnus James Rana (@jamesnrana) on Instagram. “But your degrees will last a lifetime.” 

FDU’s Metro campus welcomed 1,751 graduates into the alumni community this year, with a total of 50 receiving their PhDs.

To view our coverage of virtual graduation, see our Instagram.

Via FDU

FDU’s virtual commencement received mixed-emotions from students and parents.