Virtual Commencement 2020: What You Need to Know

Every year at commencement, Eastern Washington University celebrates its students’ academic accomplishments. Walking across the stage, hearing your name called in front of your classmates, family and friends, is an experience like no other.

This year the global pandemic has forced the university to cancel all in-person gatherings, meaning a traditional commencement ceremony is not possible. Although the university can’t bring everyone together physically, it is committed to celebrating the 2020 graduates.


Virtual Commencement 2020 will happen online on Saturday, June 13 for semester and quarter program graduates. Because each graduate’s circumstances are different this year, EWU has endeavored to create an experience that unifies the students graduating and allows them to personalize the experience.

All graduates will have a customized commencement celebration page created on their behalf and uploaded to the main EWU Commencement website. The individualized pages will be home to recorded celebratory messages from President Mary Cullinan, Provost David May, the deans of EWU’s individual colleges and more. At or after 9 a.m. on June 13, graduates, friends and families can tune into the customized celebration pages and watch the video messages together.

The pages will include personalized videos, photos and videos submitted by the graduate, their family and friends, and EWU faculty and staff. Graduates will have six months to view and/or download their messages after commencement day.

Students who filled out the RSVP form before the May 22 deadline will receive a special graduation kit in the mail with items curated to help celebrate the special milestone, including a link to the downloadable PDF electronic program, an Eagle4Life window cling and a red EWU sling bag––plus a couple other fun surprises. The grad kits will be mailed to the mailing address students have on file and should arrive the week of commencement.

To find additional information about Virtual Commencement 2020, including FAQs, please visit the EWU Commencement website.

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