University of South Carolina Cancels In-Person Graduation

The in-person Spring and Summer graduation ceremony for students at The University of South Carolina has been cancelled due to increased cases of COVID-19.

A virtual ceremony will be held August 8th at 12 p.m.

In a letter to graduates, USC president said:

Dear Graduate,

Our records indicate that you either graduated in the spring of 2020, applied for summer 2020 graduation, or may be eligible to graduate in summer 2020.

I’m writing today to inform you that after consulting with our Board of Trustees we have made the difficult decision to cancel the tentative in-person commencement ceremony at Williams-Brice Stadium previously scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8. We are announcing this today so that those who were considering traveling to Columbia for the event have time to adjust their plans.

I know this may come as a great disappointment to you and your family. When we announced the tentative ceremony last month, it was conditional on coronavirus infection levels remaining relatively low. Unfortunately, South Carolina has experienced a marked increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks and both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our own public health experts do not believe it is safe to host a large in-person gathering because of the increased risk of transmission.

The virtual ceremony will still take place on Aug. 8 and can be viewed by UofSC graduates and the general public on the university’s website starting at 12 p.m. Eastern Time. We’re excited about this production, which will include the names of each graduate being displayed and read during the ceremony. Please visit our commencement website for more information.

By earning your degree at South Carolina, you have achieved a significant accomplishment that calls for celebration. I welcome you and the entire class of 2020 back to campus to participate in our next in-person commencement ceremony when we can safely host large events once again. In the meantime, thank you again for your patience, resilience and understanding.

Forever to Thee,

Bob Caslen