Class of 2019
Beacon College Commencement – Class of 2021
A Message from our President, Dr. George J. Hagerty:
I am pleased to confirm that the College’s Commencement for the Classes of 2020 and 2021 will be held on Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 11 a.m. at The Brownwood Hotel Resort & Spa, 3003 Brownwood Blvd., The Villages, Fla. 32163. At 5 p.m. on Friday, October 1, Beacon will host the traditional Parents’ and Grandparents’ Reception at the Venetian Center, 1 Dozier Circle, Leesburg, Fla. 34748. We are excited about the opportunity to finally gather for the community’s celebration of your achievement.
For all those attending College events this weekend, please know that we will be following our Responsible Community Initiative (RCI) protocols, which include adherence to the following:
- Wearing of masks;
- Social distancing when possible;
- Washing hands frequently;
- Avoiding hugging and shaking hands; and
- If you are feeling ill or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please do not attend.
Our community has a high vaccination rate (just over 90%), and this in combination with the RCI protocols, are intended to safeguard all those celebrating the commencement of the Classes of 2020 and 2021.
For those unable to attend in person, the College is livestreaming the ceremony and recognizing these graduates by displaying an appropriate picture on the screen as their name and degree are announced. For students who will participate virtually, the College requests that you email a high-quality (if possible) portrait to Registrar Carrie Santaw. We recommend that your portrait (preferably framing your head and shoulders) be as dignified as possible in keeping with the solemnity of this occasion. Class of 2021 graduates who took Beacon graduation photos in April should, if planning to participate virtually, provide that image for display at the ceremony.
It has been clear since the College announced its intention to combine the 2020 and 2021 graduation exercises that most degree recipients desired to participate onsite. In so doing, the livestreaming option proved our best resolution for those graduates who could attend in person. For those in attendance, masks must be worn at all times inside, and the College’s RCI protocols will dictate the measures taken in safeguarding the community. In compliance with Florida law, the College cannot mandate that audience members be vaccinated; however, Beacon endorses every responsible action that protects us all.
I join a very proud Beacon community in congratulating you as you take the final ceremonial step in completing your undergraduate preparation. Know that, however you wish to participate, our goal is to make the Commencement ceremony a special moment for you to remember.
