Lots of Circumstance, Make Your Own Pomp
April 26, 2020
We're all missing something during this challenging time: birthdays, weddings, anniversary dinners. And I keep thinking about all the college graduates who are missing the chance to hear "Pomp and Circumstance" play as they walk across a stage in front of their loved ones to receive their diploma.
This graduation season, while there’s plenty of circumstance, there’s definitely not enough pomp.
But even if you don’t get to sit in a stadium with thousands of people you don’t know, this milestone should be celebrated with your loved ones and with your fellow graduates, wherever they may be. And some creative minds are coming up with ways to bring the pomp.
Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, CEO of Her Campus Media in Boston, has decided to use her platform to provide a free virtual celebration for all graduates on May 15.
She has enlisted celebrity entertainers to perform (names will be announced the week of April 27), as well as keynote speakers such as fashion icon Rebecca Minkoff and others. Kaplan Lewis is partnering with the group Active Minds, a national non-profit embedded on college campuses (including locally) to promote mental health and wellness, aiming to shine a light on the needs of this generation of graduates. She’s also seeking student speakers and entertainers to participate in the graduation. You can submit your ideas and register at imstillgraduating.com.
Others are pivoting their businesses to help support the new reality of celebrations. Wendy Moyle, owner and vice president of Shindigz headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is in the business of supporting parties of all kinds, especially graduation parties. In the midst of this pandemic she shifted her business to sew protective coverings for front-line workers, using gossamer that would normally be sold for parties.
Having two graduates this year in her own family, an undergraduate at Syracuse and an MBA candidate at Northwestern, she was also looking for a way to help the families of graduating seniors. The idea, she said, is for people to “take over their front yards” to celebrate their graduate’s accomplishments, so everyone who drives by will be able to celebrate too. Her company's doorway packages are designed to do just that. She's also creating smaller graduation packages to send to family members who can’t travel to see their graduate, so families can create their own virtual parties. You can check it out at shindigz.com.
Locally, Nazareth College is looking to hold its graduation ceremony in July. Outgoing President Daan Braveman writes, "Nazareth has postponed rather than cancel the Commencement ceremony. Commencement is always a beautiful time of celebration and excitement, which we need so clearly at this time."
The ceremony may be different based on the ever-changing situation, but they are hopeful they can proceed. In the meantime, they have enlisted their alumni to write notes to their graduating seniors.
A few years ago I was the graduation speaker at Brighton High School. I was thrilled but felt the weight of responsibility to share wisdom in 10 short minutes. If I were speaking this year, my talk would be even shorter. This year, I’d tell them they only need to remember three things for their whole life: be grateful – to everyone, for everything; be kind – to themselves and their fellow humans; and be patient – they are going to need it as the world they are entering will take time to repair.
I’d also tell them, while in the last few months the whole world has changed, here’s what hasn’t changed: what they’ve accomplished, what they’ve learned, the friendships they’ve gained, and the experiences they’ve had. These past four years, they have been growing into the people we will all need to lead their generation and our world out of chaos, and into possibility.
A few days ago, as I was scrolling through my calendar and canceling long-held plans, I came across a reminder I’d made for myself on May 1 to “Get hotel room for graduation 2021.” Our daughter is entering her senior year of college and next May is her big day. I’ve decided to make that call and grab that room. Hope springs eternal.