Posted: May 13, 2020Written by: Ritchie Bermudez

SAN LUIS OBISPO – To help slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Cuesta College will postpone spring commencement to December 2020 after careful consideration of input from students, faculty, and staff.

The Cuesta College 2020 Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, December 18. The graduation ceremony was initially scheduled for Friday, May 22, at the Dr. Gilbert H. Stork Gymnasium on the San Luis Obispo campus.

To ensure the safety and health of the campus community, the college explored multiple scenarios to celebrate the achievements of graduating students, including a virtual celebration. The response from a survey sent to 1,125 students made clear their preference of walking across the stage at an in-person event.

“Commencement is a joyous culmination of the hard work and dedication of our graduating students, and we are committed to properly recognizing their accomplishments,” said Dr. Jill Stearns, Cuesta College Superintendent / President. “Our students want the opportunity to celebrate with their family and friends present as they receive their diploma.”

Because of the rapidly changing nature of the pandemic, Cuesta College recognizes that these plans could change. The college continues to make decisions on large events and gatherings based on guidelines and recommendations from public health experts and local and state agencies.

Cuesta College graduates from the Summer 2019 through Fall 2020 semesters are eligible to participate in the December ceremony. The college is also planning to celebrate the graduating Class of 2020 on May 22 with videos and social media posts. Additional details are forthcoming.

Registration for summer and fall classes is available now at bit.ly/cuestaregistration. Summer classes are offered online starting June 15, and the fall semester begins August 17.