A Message from the President: New December 2020 Commencement Ceremonies Announced (4-21-20)

Dear Students and Families,

Today, the University is pleased to announce our ongoing commitment to honoring our 2020 graduates by scheduling two additional days of Commencement activities. Renamed 2020 Commencement, Azusa Pacific University will provide an expanded number of commencement ceremonies for all students graduating in 2020. A distinct ceremony will be offered for those undergraduates originally scheduled to walk in May. All department celebrations and hooding ceremonies for 2020 graduates will take place in the month of December. The 2020 Commencement schedule follows:

  • Saturday, December 12: Undergraduate ceremony (May 2020 graduates only)
  • Friday, December 18: Graduate ceremony (May 2020 graduates only); Nursing Pinning ceremony (December 2020 graduates only)
  • Saturday, December 19: Undergraduate ceremony (December 2020 graduates only); Graduate ceremony (December 2020 graduates only)

December was chosen following review of the latest local and statewide COVID-19 public health guidelines and directives. APU will continue to monitor and respond to California’s guidelines and directives through the fall to assess, and modify if necessary, final event planning details. The ceremonies will be live-streamed for those unable to attend.

I am grateful for the leadership of Interim Provost Rukshan Fernando who led conversations with undergraduate and graduate student representatives to explore meaningful alternatives. Those discussions included consideration of survey and response data presented by both student groups. Dr. Fernando has also engaged our Deans and Faculty Senate on this topic. The Office of the Provost will provide more details about ceremony timing and registration in the months to come.

Our spring graduates will be in our thoughts and prayers on May 2, 2020. We look forward to celebrating this momentous occasion with you and your family, friends, and faculty in December!

With best personal regards,

Paul W. Ferguson, Ph.D., DABT

President