GCC to host in-person graduation

By CHARITY SMITH

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Ironwood — Gogebic Community College has announced that it will hold its first in-person graduation ceremony since 2019. The ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 6, and will include graduates from 2020, 2021 and 2022.

“We just felt like with (current) CDC (Center for Disease Control) guidelines (on COVID-19), things have been improving and we wanted to get back to some sort of normal,” said Kim Zeckovich, director of admissions and marketing.

Zeckovich said that as many as 350 to 400 former students will be invited back to walk in the 2022 ceremony. She said it is hard to say how many 2020 and 2021 graduates will choose to participate, but believes there will be some who choose to walk in this year’s ceremony.

“You have to remember, someone who graduated with the class of 2020 could very well be graduating with their bachelor’s degree this year,” she said, and some might not be living in the area anymore.

College officials will invite participation by the members of the class of 2020 and 2021 by email and a post card in the mail.

Zeckovich said that former graduates should already have their cap and gown and therefore only need to RSVP. She said those students’ names will be called for them to walk across the stage just as if they were a member of the 2022 class.

As of last week Zeckovich said she had received around 130 applications for graduation with the class of 2022. The deadline for members of the class to purchase their cap and gown is Friday. However, Zeckovich said the college does order extra caps and gowns for those who change their mind and decide late to participate in the ceremony.

“We are excited about hosting an in-person graduation this year after two years of hosting a virtual ceremony,” said college president George McNulty. “We look forward to seeing our graduates, both current and from the last two years, along with their families to celebrate this momentous occasion on campus.”

Commencement will be held in the David Lindquist Center gymnasium on the Ironwood campus.