‘The only way to do it’: CCU graduates get to walk the stage for first time in a year
Brooks Stadium was the site of the Coastal Carolina football program’s greatest win last weekend over Brigham Young, and this weekend it’s the site of another momentous occasion for some CCU students.
More than 370 graduates were grateful they were able to receive their degrees on Friday afternoon at Coastal’s first in-person graduation ceremony in a year.
Graduates from the fall semester celebrated their achievement inside the stadium, many with friends and family in attendance.
“[A virtual ceremony] would have been terribly disappointing,” said graduate Kishona Avant of Manning. “I’ve been looking forward to this since I was a little girl and college graduation just means more than doing it virtually. I’ve always wanted to do it the traditional way and I think walking across the stage is the only way to do it.”
A second commencement is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Brooks Stadium for graduates of the spring and fall semesters who were relegated to virtual ceremonies because of the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.
Nearly 200 of those grads are expected to attend Saturday.
“I feel bad for the other classes that had to do online only,” graduate Nasser Mohammad of Spartanburg said. “But shout out to them because they really went through the tough trials and tribulations and I’m glad we all made it to the end. It’s a brand new start.”
Tickets are required for guests, who are being seated in pods of four seats physically distanced by 6 feet from the next pod, and graduates are being seated 6 feet apart on Benton Field. Face coverings are required at all times for anyone in the stadium.
Concession stands will not be open and hand sanitizer dispensers are at entrances.
“There were slight [health] concerns but I know the university was taking the proper precautions throughout the year so we shouldn’t have too much to worry about, and it was really spread out versus being in the HTC Center,” Avant said.
Parking is complimentary throughout the campus and ADA accessible golf carts are available. Shuttles are operating beginning at 11 a.m.
The ceremonies are being streamed on YouTube Live with links through Coastal.edu/commencement.
A virtual ceremony for those who don’t attend in person will premiere at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18 and a link will be emailed to graduates.
Several graduating students including Avant and David Goodson of Spartanburg lobbied the administration for the in-person commencement even after being initially told it would be done virtually.
“I emailed the Provost, Dr. [Dan] Ennis several times about using the football field prior to them even going for it,” Goodson said. “I felt it was more important to be in person.”
This story was originally published December 11, 2020 at 5:21 PM.
