To: Wellesley College Class of 2021 and Families
cc: Wellesley College Faculty and Staff
From: President Paula A. Johnson
Re: Changes to Wellesley’s Commencement Plans Following New State Guidance
Date: May 19, 2021
As the public health trends have improved over the spring in Massachusetts, we have been closely following the guidance for COVID-19 health and safety protocols issued by the commonwealth. Many of you will have seen that on May 17 Gov. Charlie Baker announced that, as of May 29, he will lift most of the remaining restrictions currently in place. In light of this new guidance, I am delighted to announce that Wellesley will open its in-person commencement ceremony to all fully vaccinated seniors who have been studying remotely this spring and December 2020 and December 2021 finishers.
While this situation remains dynamic, we feel that we can safely welcome seniors who are fully vaccinated to participate in the ceremony in person. Unfortunately, we are not able to extend this invitation to guests, given the continued need for physical distancing and the fact that this year’s commencement location cannot accommodate a substantially larger audience.
In order to attend the commencement ceremony, off-campus seniors are required to take the following steps:
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Ensure that you are fully vaccinated before coming to campus, which means you must have received your second dose of a two-shot series or the dose of a single-shot series by Friday, May 21.
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Upload proof of vaccination to Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway by Wednesday, May 26. If you need assistance uploading or creating a Gateway account, please call Health Services during business hours (781.283.2810).
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Indicate your intent to attend the in-person gathering by Wednesday, May 26, at 4 p.m., by completing the Degree Completion Questionnaire. Please see the Workday Degree Completion Questionnaire Instructions document for details. Knowing how many off-campus seniors will be attending is essential for our commencement planning.
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Plan to arrive on campus no earlier than 8 a.m. on the day of commencement, Friday, June 4, and depart no later than 4 p.m. the same day. Off-campus seniors will not be allowed on campus prior to that day.
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Follow mask-wearing and physical distancing guidelines while on campus.
Pre-commencement activities, such as baccalaureate, will remain virtual so that all seniors are able to participate. There will be no post-commencement receptions.
I hope this comes as welcome news for the class of 2021 and the broader Wellesley community. Throughout the pandemic, we have adjusted our protocols when we were confident that we could do so while upholding our commitment to protect the health and safety of our community. We feel this change reflects both that commitment and our heartfelt desire to celebrate all members of the class of 2021.
Given the timing, we realize that some students may be unable to attend due to challenges with vaccination or travel. We still plan to offer an engaging hybrid experience for seniors who will be off campus and for all families and friends of the class of 2021.
I look forward to celebrating this special day with you, whether you are on campus or joining us virtually!
