First Lady Jill Biden to headline Mason graduation ceremony

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will be the commencement speaker at George Mason University’s commencement.

The virtual ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday, May 14

The university writes:

First Lady Jill Biden will be George Mason University’s Commencement speaker, headlining the May 14 virtual event honoring nearly 9,700 graduates.

Dr. Biden will record a speech for graduates that will be broadcast during the livestream event. The university will also conduct smaller, in-person graduation recognition events during the week of May 10, culminating in the virtual Commencement.

Dr. Biden received a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware. She began her teaching career in 1976 in Delaware as an English teacher and reading specialist. She also taught at a psychiatric hospital and at Delaware Technical Community College.

Graduates will be able to walk in person during an event the university calls a “Patriot Procession,” held on campus on Friday. Additionally, some students were given to option to hold mini in-person graduation ceremonies outside Eagle Bank Arena on the Fairfax Campus.

Biden’s speech will be given during what the university is calling its university-wide graduation event, which will be live-streamed here.

In other college graduation news, Northern Virginia Community College held its commencement events this week.

The college tells PLN:

Northern Virginia Community College’s 54th Annual Commencement was celebrated virtually on May 5th, May 6th and May 7th. This interactive virtual celebration honored students with the theme, Believe! Aspire! Achieve!

Opening with congratulatory vignettes from faculty and staff, this moving ceremony reminded students how important they remained to the faculty and staff through this past year, even while most courses were accomplished remotely. Dr.Donna Minnich, college Marshall and college Senate chair then officially announced the virtual celebration kick off for the 2020 and 2021 NOVA graduates.

Rosie O’Neil, college board chair offered remarks in both Spanish and English, greeting family and friends in a warm welcome that recognized the academic achievement and undeniable perseverance of NOVA’s graduates.  As a reminder of the scale of impact, O’Neil shared some NOVA pride points: “NOVA is the 14th largest college or university in the nation and the largest public university in Virginia; nearly 20% of every graduating high school class in Northern Virginia start their college career at NOVA; each year, an estimated 12,000 high school students begin taking classes at NOVA, and, lastly, that NOVA is the largest supplier of trained talent for the region’s employers.”

NOVA is so proud of our graduates as they sat through “zoom after zoom in Canvas classes and virtual labs, on laptops in quiet corners and even on their phones in their cars, while serving as their own children’s remote teacher or as an essential worker – they have pushed through the pandemic and shown the grit that becomes greatness.”