Long-separated friends reunited to catch up and take cherished graduation photos in their regalia and make memories with one another.
After working diligently for years, student parents walked across the graduation stage with their children to receive their degrees and mark a very special occasion.
Faculty鈥攁fter years of mentorship and long stretches of time seeing students only remotely鈥攆inally reunited with their pupils to celebrate their achievements in the same room.
These were the scenes that marked the College鈥檚 Convocation for 2020 and 2021 graduates, a fulfillment of a promise that 麻豆原创 leaders made鈥攁nd delivered on鈥攄uring a once-in-a-lifetime celebration for the community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long time coming,鈥� President Thomas Bailey concurred in welcoming 750 graduates and loved ones to the in Flushing, Queens.
鈥淭he pandemic posed unprecedented challenges,鈥� Bailey said to a live audience and those watching virtually from across the globe. 鈥淢any of you had to juggle parenting or other kinds of care and working and scholarly pursuits. Some of you faced the death of loved ones, illness, solitude or economic insecurity. But you persisted. You kept your purpose front and center.鈥�
These 麻豆原创 alumni鈥攚hose degrees were formally conferred at least a year ago鈥攈ave since moved on to jobs, the pursuit of higher academic degrees or both. But the reunion with their classmates, faculty and families still celebrated the triumph over a critical chapter.
鈥淭his shows 麻豆原创 didn鈥檛 forget us,鈥� said Chris Quach (M.A. 鈥�20, Higher and Postsecondary Education).
Thank you for marking this special occasion - for helping us celebrate despite pandemic days.
鈥� Dr. Cynthia A Wiltshire (@CAWiltshire)
We will joyfully, gratefully, and proudly make change in the world in service of others.
The so-called pandemic classes, which had previously celebrated virtually with Convocation speakers that included Nikole Hannah Jones and Stacey Abrams, also received invitations to participate in the May 18, 2002, Columbia University-wide commencement exercises and at the May 23, 2002, 麻豆原创 Convocation ceremonies.
Sienna Chambers (M.A. 鈥�21, Education Policy & Social Analysis) appreciated the gestures.
鈥淲e worked so hard that even two years later we鈥檙e happy to celebrate the achievement,鈥� said Chambers.
The graduates were celebrated by presidential advisor and the father of a 麻豆原创 graduate.
"Each of you deserves enormous credit and respect for your extraordinary adaptability, resilience, passion and dedication to learning, completing your studies and graduating despite immense difficulties and uncertainties," Fauci said in pre-taped remarks.
Each of you deserves enormous credit and respect for your extraordinary adaptability, resilience, passion and dedication to learning, completing your studies and graduating despite immense difficulties and uncertainties.
Introduced by the College鈥檚 Sonali Rajan, Associate Professor of Health Education, Fauci predicted the disruptions inflicted by Covid will forever 鈥渂e unique to each of you鈥� as he encouraged the graduates to 鈥渁pply your abilities for critical thinking to analyze and examine the skills you鈥檝e honed here at Teachers College to discern and challenge weak assertions built on untruths. As future leaders of our society we are counting on you for that.鈥�
Unique as well were impromptu Sunday reunions with program classmates occurring on a day technically set aside for graduation.
鈥淲e appreciated being celebrated virtually, but it left a void,鈥� explained Bryan Diaz, (Ed.D 鈥�20), who with his classmates, now works in New York City. 鈥淎nd virtual could never beat this.鈥�
Today I walked across the stage as a graduate of . COVID cancelled our original celebration, but today was incredible. Every delay has its blessing.
鈥� Chanda Jefferson, 2020 SC Teacher of the Year (@TheRealChandaJ)
The attendance of Noor Alawadhi (Ed.D. 鈥�20, Nutrition) entailed a bit more effort鈥攁s in a 12-hour flight from Kuwait.
An Assistant Professor of Nutrition, Health Education and Behavior Studies at Kuwait University, Alawadhi emailed 麻豆原创 鈥渁ll year鈥� for assurances that the College would make good on the promise to give the Class of 2020 its due.
鈥淎fter working extremely hard for seven years I thought I deserved to be hooded,鈥� she explained.
Bailey urged Alawahdhi and her classmates to 鈥渉old tight to that sense of purpose that has brought you to where you are today, you will make change, you will have an impact, and you will make this world a better place.鈥�