By William Smith
Sunday’s Notre Dame graduation ceremony, which took place a month later than originally planned, was unlike any that had come before.
But, so is the class of 2020.
As the Rev. Marty Goetz pointed out, the class of 31 graduates started their lives in the shadow of the 9/11 attack.
“They said the world would never be the same,” Goetz said while addressing the seniors at the ceremony.
Those same seniors have entered an adult world once again upended by a crisis — a worldwide pandemic that nearly nixed the ceremony altogether.
“Once again, they say the world will never be the same,” Goetz said.
It was the first Notre Dame class in the school’s history to graduate outside. It was also the first graduation ceremony to be delayed, ironically transforming into a class reunion rather than a goodbye.
“It’s weird, not being able to do things the normal way,” said 18-year-old Kai Jones, her face hidden underneath a mask. “At least we’re getting one (a graduation ceremony).”
All students and staff were required to wear masks inside the school as they crushed into tight quarters to don their robes and graduation caps. Some were handed face-coverings as they arrived. Others came prepared, their faces covered by masks imprinted with logos and name brands.
Devin Steele, 18, wore a mask that read “Class of 2020.” Tiny images of toilet paper rolls decorated his mask, a humorous reference to a scarce commodity during the early days of the pandemic.
“My grandma sent the mask,” he said.
Steele took pride in his unique graduation. It will be a story to tell his kids one day, a consolation cherry topping off a truncated senior year consisting of at-home learning rather than senior trips.
“It (graduation) is the one decent moment out of a pretty bad year,” he said.
Like the rest of his classmates, Steele focused on the positives. He’ll be attending Truman State University to possibly become a video game programmer; his laments over senior moments lost are already fading.
“It felt a lot like college. You have quite a bit of work to do, but you don’t have anyone to tell you to do it,” he said.
Unlike a typical graduation ceremony, there were no hugs and public well wishes to be shared with the audience. The graduation was by invitation only for family and friends, who shared their congratulations later on in private. The audience sat at least 30 feet from the graduates, socially distanced from their offspring, if not each other.
The graduates and staff did get to remove their masks as they walked outside to the soccer field, trading elbow bumps with Rev. Goetz as they received their diplomas.
“We will not be shaking hands,” principal Bill Maupin told the students as they prepared to leave the school building and start the ceremony.
“Can we elbow bump?” one senior asked.
“I’ll ask Father,” Maupin said, grinning.
About half of the graduating class will be attending Southeastern Community College next semester, with quite a few of them harboring plans to transfer to another college.
“A lot of us have been seeing each other anyway through sports,” said Mitchell Brent, wearing a blue mask that matched the color and texture of his robe.
Photo by William Smith
Kayla Marino, 18, smiles during the graduation ceremony Sunday at Notre Dame.