After GSU graduation is cut short, school schedules second ceremony
Georgia State University will be hosting a special recognition ceremony for those whose graduations were cut short last week, the university tweeted Wednesday.
The ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences students was delayed and eventually shortened due to rain and threats of lightning Thursday. Students weren’t individually recognized and didn’t get to walk to receive their diplomas.
RELATED: GSU students 'heartbroken' after rain cuts outdoor graduation short
So students set up a petition to demand the school redo their graduation ceremony, which got about 1,500 signatures by Saturday. It currently has more than 4,700 signatures, with over 1,600 being from within Georgia.
. @GSUArtSci will be hosting a special recognition ceremony for Arts and Sciences bachelor’s degree graduates this Sunday, May 20 at 2 p.m. in the Georgia State Sports Arena. Register to attend and get more info here: https://t.co/D3NwHFN4AO pic.twitter.com/GwuSNoHOQK
— Georgia State U. (@GeorgiaStateU) May 16, 2018
The new ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Georgia State Sports Arena.
Hannah Washington, one of the grads who was unhappy about what happened last week, said, “I’m very excited. We’re all very excited.”
Washington said that after another student started the petition seeking a second ceremony, she began a Facebook group for similar posts. Most of the students were only expecting some refund of money, she said, but the upcoming ceremony is better.
“So many of my fellow graduates are first-generation students ... and they didn’t get recognized,” Washington said.
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About the Authors
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
