Georgia State University’s Perimeter College will host its spring commencement at the university’s Center Parc Stadium on Tuesday, May 11, at 9 a.m.
The in-person, limited-ticket event marks Perimeter’s first stand-alone graduation ceremony since before the pandemic began in early 2020. Georgia State held a university-wide, virtual ceremony in May 2020 and a hybrid event in December, with graduates choosing to attend in-person or online.
An in-person ceremony will be held May 11 for Perimeter's spring 2021 graduates.
Perimeter College’s dean, Dr. Nancy Kropf, says the university’s emphasis is on celebration and safety.
“We couldn’t be prouder of our spring graduates who have persisted in college during some of the toughest days in our nation’s history,” Kropf said. “While we are taking every precaution to ensure that our graduates and their guests are safe amid the ongoing pandemic, we aim to commemorate their accomplishments in as big a way as possible.”
Perimeter College granted each graduation candidate six guest tickets. Seating for the ceremony will be open and sectioned into groups to maintain physical distance between attendees.
Graduation candidates will remain in their seats while their names are called to minimize movement during what’s expected to be a one- to 1½-hour event.
The May 11 ceremony will be livestreamed for those wishing to view online.
About 2,000 associate degree candidates are slated to graduate from Perimeter College this spring and summer in pathways ranging from health science professions to engineering and business administration.
The college’s graduation rate has more than tripled during the past five years, and Perimeter students -- regardless of race, ethnicity or income -- now are graduating at similar rates, mirroring the vanishing equity gaps and student success of Georgia State’s Atlanta Campus.
Photos by Bill Roa