For the first time in more than two decades, West Virginia State University will hold their spring commencement ceremony on campus. In fact there will be two ceremonies, one at 10 the other at 2 on Saturday.
Jack Bailey, the Director of Public Relations at State, says after years of holding the ceremony at the Charleston Civic Center, it was time to move back to a more traditional location.
“One of the things our new president [Dr. Brian Hemphill] wanted to do was to bring that back to campus,” says Bailey.
The ceremonies will be held on the main lawn. Crews started sitting up chairs Friday morning preparing for commencement.
Bailey say there’s just one word they’re not allowed to speak.
“We don’t want to talk about rain, that’s for sure!”
According to the National Weather Service, there’s a chance of a thunderstorm or shower Saturday morning and then clearing up by afternoon. But not to worry, Bailey stresses they have a back-up plan.
“We do have a contingency plan in the event we find that it is raining in the morning,” according to Bailey. “We will have it inside, on the second floor, in the auditorium of Ferrell Hall.”
Two-hundred and sixty graduates will receive their diplomas. The 10:00 ceremony will honor those graduating from the College of Professional Studies. The 2:00 ceremony will recognize grads from the University’s other three colleges.
The commencement speaker is Kanawha County Delegate Doug Skaff.