While the in-person spring commencement ceremony is still postponed due to COVID-19, UNC has plans to still celebrate the Class of 2020 this weekend.

The university announced on Wednesday it will be holding a live stream and virtual watch party on Sunday, May 10, to honor the outgoing class. Instead of a ceremony in Kenan Stadium, the university will be sharing special video messages to graduating Carolina students and their families on Facebook and YouTube. Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and commencement speaker Frank Bruni, who is a New York Times columnist and Carolina alumnus, will address the community. The university also said student a cappella groups Harmonyx and the Clefhangers will also share performances.

This marks the first time UNC will hold a commencement celebration exclusively over virtual methods.

In addition to Sunday’s ceremony, there are many other Carolina traditions graduating students may have been unable to complete before campus operations were reduced and courses moved to remote instruction. But the university shared ways those students can still try and participate in those even while away from Chapel Hill.

Resources like Instagram filters and virtual reality lenses created by UNC allow students to take photos in their caps and gowns and have Old Well in the background. Also, the university is encouraging seniors to virtually sign a brick in the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower using a photo template. Students can even create a physical brick to sign, using a cut-out design provided on the university’s website.

UNC said it is still endeavoring to determine plans for an in-person commencement celebration. The university initially announced the ceremony’s postponement on March 20 due to concerns presented by the coronavirus pandemic.

Photo via the University of North Carolina.

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