Dylon Harrison
Staff Writer
Fall graduation is fast approaching. For many, the commencement ceremony is an immediate thought when thinking about graduation. ISU, however, does not hold a commencement for those who graduate in the fall.
Ever since ISU opened its doors, 117 years ago, commencement has been held in May at the end of the spring semester.
“We haven’t really ever deviated from that 117-year history,” said Stuart Summers, ISU Director of Marketing and Communication.
Until about 12 years ago, ISU used to hold a smaller commencement in the summer for students who had not completely fulfilled their requirements by the May deadline.
Students who graduate in the fall receive an invitation to this event, but many are unable to attend due to their busy, post-graduation schedules, which can include newly acquired jobs.
Over the last few months, Marketing and Communications has been reaching out to all “campus units,” Summers said. This includes each college and campus. The intention has been to find areas in which graduating students might not be completely satisfied.
“We are kind of in a study of [fall graduation] right now,” Summers said. “Looking at it, does it make sense to add a ceremony in December?”
If a December commencement is added, it will not begin this year.
“In the past it hasn’t been a focus or a priority,” Summers said. “But now, it’s something that we’re studying, the feasibility of it.”
This is Marketing and Communications’ third year planning and running the commencement ceremony.
Some departments at ISU also hold their own graduation celebration, but these are on a much smaller scale and degrees are not presented.
“In addition to commencement, there are about three dozen graduation related events,” Summers said. “There’s a wide array of celebrations for graduates.”
There’s also a commencement ceremony held in May each year at the Meridian Campus, to confer the degrees of its students.
Planning May commencement is a year-long process that involves multiple departments and resources being contacted. On average, the May ceremony costs ISU about $55,000.
“Some months there may be two things I need to do, others it’s about 60 percent of my job,” said Allyson Johnson, Marketing and Communications Special Events Coordinator. Johnson is the primary planner of commencement.
There are multiple factors for the school to consider related to adding a fall commencement. These include the additional costs, the amount of student interest, additional time and resources and which venue it would be held in.
“It’s a team effort in every sense of the word,” Johnson said. “The entire university is involved and has to be invested.”
Summers and Johnson both said they consider graduation to be the most exciting day of the year.
“It’s very much the most exciting day of the year,” Summers said. “Seeing students graduate and all the hard work they’ve put in to be able to walk across the stage and receive their degree, and you know they’re going to go out and be successful. That’s why a university exists.”
While there are no solid plans right now to add a fall commencement, Summers said “Nothing’s off the table.”
