Dear Class of 2020,

For graduating students, this time of year is traditionally characterized by excitement for the pomp and circumstance of Commencement and the eager anticipation of what comes next in your lives. And for us, each year we look forward to gathering as a community in the Liacouras Center to celebrate your achievements in the presence of your families, friends and faculty, and welcoming you into the Temple University alumni family. This year, we share in the disappointment you feel in having to postpone our time-honored Commencement ceremony.

In just two short weeks, however, you will officially become graduates of Temple University when your degrees are conferred on May 7, 2020, and we can’t wait to honor you. It would be impossible for us to let this special moment in your life go by without recognition of your hard work and perseverance. We want you to know just how proud you make us. 

To mark this special date, we have created a plan for this one-of-a-kind celebration. With the input of many, including your graduating colleagues, we are planning an exciting interactive digital celebration. Please plan to join with the Temple community on Temple’s website at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 7.

Here, we will confer degrees to the graduates and share crowd-sourced photos, videos, and messages of support and encouragement. As you reflect on your time at Temple, we invite you to use this platform to share your own memories, your hopes for the future and what “perseverance conquers” means to you, using #Temple2020.

We know how difficult it was to leave campus without the opportunity to say goodbye to your friends, to thank them for the contributions they made to your lives and to wish them well as they go forth to pursue their futures. We hope this celebration will provide a space for you to connect with your fellow graduates, your faculty members, your families and Temple alumni, all of whom are eager to cheer you on. And we will look forward to sharing more information about a rescheduled in-person Commencement ceremony when restrictions are lifted and we are advised that it is once again safe to gather in large groups. For answers to any other questions you may have related to Commencement and graduation ceremonies, please refer to the Campus Events page on our COVID-19 website. 

We know this semester has been challenging, but we remain inspired by the resilience you’ve shown throughout circumstances none of us could have imagined. Your dedication is truly the measure of what it means to be a Temple Owl. 

Sincerely, 

Richard M. Englert
President

JoAnne A. Epps
Executive Vice President and Provost