Carlson School 2020 graduates finally get their commencement ceremony
The 2020 graduates of Carlson School of Management were invited back to campus for a commencement ceremony they missed last year.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After waiting one year to walk at their graduation, on Sunday the Carlson School of Management’s class of 2020 had its day.
"It was weird, it felt like college just ended, there wasn’t a whole lot to it, no celebration," graduate Mark Valde said. "So I’m really excited to get this graduation this year."
The college would usually have two commencement ceremonies in the spring, but instead they split graduates into 6 ceremonies in 2021, including one for the 2020 graduates who missed out on the opportunity a year ago because of the pandemic.
"There was never an option not to cross that stage, if I got the opportunity I was going to take it," graduate Maya Carnie said.
For Maya Carnie and the class of 2020, Sunday was a day that was a year in the making.
"A day of celebration for all the hard work," Maya said. A day they had to wait a year for, after years of hard work.
"It was really hard, I’m not going to lie, it was a lot of work," Maya said.
It was work that went uncelebrated until May 2021, because last year the commencement ceremonies were cancelled due to the pandemic.
"It was a lot of like, ‘uh, I understand but also I worked so hard," Maya remembered.
"It was real frustrating; you knew that she was really looking forward to it," her father Herman continued.
The graduates were able to celebrate virtually in 2020.
"It’s just not the same," Maya said. "I’m really excited to be able to cross the stage and look at my parents and be like, we did it."
"It’s really exciting to see her accomplish a lot of her goals," Herman said. "Very exciting, very proud… this is only a steppingstone to bigger and larger things going forward."
Around 150 graduates chose to attend the ceremony, out of a class just topping 1,500 people.