Commencement 2021 Update

April 13, 2021

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community:

I am writing with an update regarding our commencement plans.

Last week, the D.C. government announced new guidelines for Commencement Ceremonies for colleges and universities in the District of Columbia, increasing the number of people who are permitted to gather for graduation activities.

As I shared in my message on March 23, following local and national health guidance, we had been preparing for a primarily virtual Commencement that would include some in-person activities for graduating students. Our in-person gatherings were being planned according to the guidance from the District of Columbia, which, at that time, limited outdoor gatherings to 50 people.

Given Mayor Bowser’s announcement last week expanding the number of people able to gather, we will be revising our plans. The Mayor’s guidelines direct colleges to share plans for approval by the D.C. Government. We are currently working to finalize specific plans for approval and will update our community in the coming days.

Many have reached out to share their reflections on the milestone of Commencement for our graduating students and their families. The importance of this day in the lives of our students is at the forefront of our planning, as we work to adjust to this new health guidance. I wish to express my thanks to our students and families for their patience and my appreciation to our colleagues for their hard work on our plans for celebrating the Class of 2021.

I look forward to sharing updates with you very soon.

Sincerely,

John J. DeGioia