Dear Class of 2021 graduates and guests,
We are now under a month away from your Commencement ceremonies. This will be the culmination of a year like no other at Vanderbilt. Thanks to your diligence and commitment in adhering to our very stringent campus health and safety protocols, we have been very fortunate to successfully navigate this academic year and hold an in-person Commencement.
We are working hard to be able to give you a memorable experience while keeping you as safe as possible. To do this, we need you to continue to follow protocols leading up to Commencement and during your ceremonies. We ask that you not interact in person with Class of 2020 students when they arrive back in Nashville at the beginning of May. We don’t want you to become close contacts of individuals who may test positive for COVID-19 and then have to quarantine during your final days on campus or potentially miss your Commencement ceremony.
Additionally, the gathering size limit for Vanderbilt community members remains at 12 for events and activities outside of Commencement and eight for informal meetups and off-campus gatherings.
As a reminder, you must wear a face mask on campus at all times and maintain 6 feet of physical distance from those outside of your family unit during your Commencement ceremonies, regardless of your vaccination status. This will help you to protect not only yourself, but also your loved ones who are coming to see you graduate. Vanderbilt’s campus protocols continue to be more stringent than those in the surrounding Nashville community and are the primary reason we have been able to remain in-person this year. It is essential for all of us that we finish this year strong.
–The Commencement Team