(North Canton, OH – April 1, 2020) – Due to coronavirus (COVID-19), Stark State College is not hosting its May graduation and certificate ceremonies in person, but will celebrate graduates in various ways.

“The health and safety of our students, employees, family members and friends are our top priority,” said Stark State College President Para M. Jones, Ph.D. “We regret that our 2020 graduates will not celebrate commencement with the traditional ‘pomp and circumstance,’ but we will make it nonetheless special.

“Our faculty and staff have been creative, innovative and student-centered in transitioning all spring classes to remote, using online, virtual, videoconferencing, simulation and other technology-assisted teaching and learning modalities,” Jones said. “We will do the same for this year’s graduates.”

All graduates will receive their tassels, degrees and certificates by mail. The College will publish keepsake commencement programs and publish names of graduates in various public and digital media. Additionally, graduates will receive a special recording from President Jones and Provost Lada Gibson-Shreve, Ph.D., that will include the listing of all graduate names.

All spring graduates will be invited to participate in Stark State’s fall commencement on Jan. 10, 2021. Students who would have received certificates this May will be invited to participate in the College’s fall certificate ceremony on Dec. 22.