Commencement Update: Guests to be allowed in Erie and Ruskin; event also planned for 2020 Erie graduates

Posted: March 18, 2021

Each graduate at our Erie and Ruskin campuses will be permitted two guests to attend the ceremony in-person and celebrate this exciting milestone with our students.

In Erie, this decision comes after state guidance was issued by Gov. Tom Wolf that includes an increase in mass gathering maximums effective April 4.

In Ruskin, this decision is the result of our ability to secure a venue change.

We are pleased to also announce we are welcoming our class of 2020 Erie graduates to an in-person commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 9. Each graduate will also be permitted two guests to attend the ceremony. Details are still being worked out and will be shared as soon as possible. We are thrilled to welcome our 2020 alumni back and to hold an in-person ceremony that we were unable to do last year due to stricter gathering limits at the time of their graduation.

Other updates on our commencement ceremonies are as follows:

In Erie, we are currently planning to hold three separate ceremonies on Saturday, May 8, at the Erie Insurance Arena to accommodate the size of the 2021 graduating class and their guests to ensure we safely remain within gathering guidelines. Additional details on times of those ceremonies, how to register, as well as related events such as Baccalaureate Mass will be shared as plans are developed.

In Ruskin, we have changed the location of the ceremony to accommodate graduates and their two guests each. Commencement will take place at 1 p.m. on May 15 at the Bradenton Convention Center.

All ceremonies will either be live streamed or recorded so that those unable to join you in person can still share the moment and celebrate with you.

We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we continue to adapt our experiences to best meet the needs of our students while remaining dedicated to the safety and well-being of our Gannon and neighboring communities during a pandemic.

We will continue to share updates and changes to these ceremonies as we complete plans for these exciting events for our students and their families.

If you have a question or a comment, you can submit it at https://www.gannon.edu/Questions-or-Comments/.