UGA 2021 spring commencement to take place over multiple days

University of Georgia graduates will get a spring commencement ceremony — but with COVID-19 modifications.

UGA President Jere W. Morehead announced Friday that the university will have not one, but four ceremonies for the spring 2021 graduates — three undergraduate ceremonies and one ceremony for the masters, specialists and doctoral degrees.

The decision to split up commencement into multiple days would be to comply with social distancing guidelines. Additionally, this year's graduates will sit in the stands with their guests, and there will be no formal processional.

ESPN reporter and UGA graduate Maria Taylor will be the commencement speaker.

Photos::UGA’s rescheduled 2020 Spring Commencement

For undergraduates, commencement will begin May 13 and end May 15, taking place in Sanford Stadium. 

The May 13 ceremony will be for undergraduate students from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Terry College of Business.

The May 14 ceremony will be for undergraduate students from the College of Environment and Design, the College of Pharmacy, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Social Work.

The exercises May 15 will be for undergraduate students from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, the College of Public Health, the Early College of Education, the Odum School of Ecology, the School of Public and International Affairs, and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

The commencement ceremony for the masters, specialists and doctoral degree candidates is scheduled for May 14 at 10 a.m. in Sanford Stadium.

Each of the three undergraduate ceremonies will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are required, and undergraduate degree recipients are given four tickets, or one graduate ticket and three guest tickets.

The tickets are for general admission, and the graduates will sit in the stands with their guests. Any seats marked by red chair backs or vinyl wrappers are available for use, which will be grouped in sections of four seats.

Among other social distancing precautions, visitors will be required to wear masks over the nose and mouth.

This year, because of COVID-19, UGA will not provide transportation from remote parking lots to the stadium. Officials warn that “visitors should be prepared to walk significant distances, up to 1 mile, from parking and throughout the stadium,” according to the commencement website.

For those who can not attend the ceremony, a livestream will be available on the UGA commencement website at commencement.uga.edu.