Coastal Carolina University is planning to hold two in-person commencement ceremonies in December, one for students graduating this fall and one for students who graduated in virtual ceremonies during the 2020 spring and summer semesters.

"Graduating from college is a momentous occasion, and Coastal Carolina University is thrilled to be planning for the return of in-person commencement ceremonies," said University President David A. DeCenzo. "We are being responsive to the heartfelt wishes of our graduating students and their families. The health and safety of everyone involved will be at the forefront of these traditional events on the Coastal Carolina campus. The University's board of trustees and I look forward to recognizing and celebrating our 2020 fall, summer, and spring graduates."

Both ceremonies will be held outside at Brooks Stadium and will have limited capacity, with seating pods arranged to ensure physical distancing. All attendees will be required to wear masks to protect against COVID-19, and the University's Clear Bag Policy will be enforced. More information about the ceremonies can be found here.

For students graduating this fall, the in-person commencement ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 11, at 1 p.m. Graduates of all five colleges will be honored at this time. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held Sunday, Dec. 13, at 1 p.m., inside Brooks Stadium. The University will also be premiering a virtual ceremony on Friday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m., which will recognize all Fall 2020 graduates.

Spring and summer graduates, who participated in virtual commencement ceremonies due to COVID-19 concerns, are invited back to campus to attend an in-person ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be rescheduled for Monday, Dec. 14, at 1 p.m., inside Brooks Stadium. When the spring and summer virtual ceremonies were announced, University officials said they would plan for an in-person event at a later date.

CCU received approval from the South Carolina Department of Commerce to host the commencement ceremonies inside Brooks Stadium. The approval is in accordance with S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster's executive order that outlines a procedure for exceptions to gathering restrictions. Brooks Stadium's revised capacity, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AccelerateSC, NCAA, and Sun Belt Conference guidelines, cannot exceed a total of 5,000 attendees, which include graduates, family members, faculty and staff, platform party, volunteers, and vendors.