Texas A&M announces plans for in-person graduation ceremonies

COLLEGE STATION, TX — Texas A&M University announced plans for December 2020 graduation as well as rescheduled ceremonies for May and August ceremonies that had to be pushed back due to COVID-19.

In December, Texas A&M University is planning in-person commencement ceremonies for more than 4,200 students who will graduate at the end of the Fall 2020 semester.

In order to maximize the safety of graduates and their families, 15 ceremonies will be held over five days in Reed Arena: December 10, 11, 17, 18, and 19. Ceremonies will be held at 9 a.m., 2 p.m., and 7 p.m. each day.

To allow for safe physical distancing, no more than 324 graduates will participate in each ceremony.

The event will be ticketed, with each graduate receiving up to six tickets for loved ones. Face coverings must be worn by all graduates and guests while inside Reed Arena, and the facility will be cleaned between ceremonies.

While diplomas will be mailed, each graduate will have their name called and will walk across the stage with a diploma tube for a picture to commemorate this very special event.

The schedule of ceremonies has been posted on graduation.tamu.edu and details will be emailed to each graduate through their university e-mail account in the coming week.

Additionally, the May 2020 and August 2020 graduation ceremonies are now scheduled for February 11-13, February 17-19, and March 11-13, 2021, and will take place at Kyle Field.

Each ceremony will allow just over 950 students to participate. The rescheduled 2020 ceremonies in February and March 2021 will be organized by colleges and departments.

The Office of the Registrar will contact May and August 2020 graduates with more details in the coming weeks to determine who plans to participate.

Because of logistics and limitations on the use of Kyle Field, all seating for graduates, family, and friends will be in the stands with capacity limited to 25%. The event will also require tickets for guests. At this time, they are planning ceremonies for 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

For students at the Galveston campus who will graduate in December, three separate commencement ceremonies will take place in the Aggie Special Events Center.

There will be a ceremony for all graduate programs on December 11 at 6 p.m., and two ceremonies for undergraduate programs on December 12, to be held at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Because of spacing capabilities, these ceremonies will include students who graduated in May 2020 and August 2020. Tickets will be required.

For professional programs and for the Qatar campus, rescheduled dates for the May and August 2020 commencement ceremonies will be communicated at a later date.