Carey Business School celebrates graduation with virtual ceremony

Johns Hopkins Carey Business School celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2020 with the school’s first-ever virtual commencement ceremony. Some 460 graduates were honored at during the ceremony, which was broadcast online May 19, the same date the traditional in-person event was scheduled to take place.

Carey Business School developed the online graduation ceremony with the events firm Cloverlea Entertainment/In ShowOut LLC when the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced Johns Hopkins University to cancel plans for in-person graduation ceremonies.

“To say that this is not the graduation ceremony we would have imagined having a few months ago would be an understatement. All of us, indeed the entire world, have been forced to adapt and to make sacrifices in ways we would not have conceived of before this pandemic crisis,” said Alexander Triantis, dean of the Carey Business School, as he presided over the ceremony. “You are the very leaders an anxious but hopeful world needs and awaits. Match the gifts that you have, the passion and purpose that you already possess, to the good that you can do,” he added.

In addition to Dean Triantis, the graduates heard from vice deans and professors Valerie Suslow and K. Davina Frick, as well as the president of the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association, Allyson Hughes Handley. Each of the school’s academic program directors delivered special messages to the graduates of their respective programs, and MBA graduate Ryan Miller spoke on behalf of the Class of 2020.

Family, friends, and other well-wishers also had an opportunity to share messages and images with the graduates. Many graduates took to social media to share their experiences from the event. Here is a sample:

Caleb Unni (MBA ’20) – “Today, I am happy to say I graduated with a Global MBA from Johns Hopkins University after two years. Though it was not the way I expected to graduate, I am happy to celebrate this moment virtually with my classmates, friends and family.”

Kristin Sepúlveda (MBA ’20) – “Although we couldn’t celebrate my graduation in-person, I was fortunate to have a virtual graduation watch party with my family who live in California. My family and friends threw me a post-graduation social distance party filled with love… and yummy food!”

Sarah Webb (MPH,MBA ’20) – “We did a dual degree MPH/MBA Cohort Celebration at 10am, which included "Most Likelys," baby photos (guessing who was who), and a series of photos from our two years at Hopkins. We had several Carey and Bloomberg faculty and staff on the line, as well as parents, friends, and family!”

The graduation guest book with images and comments from participants and well-wishers is available for download here.

The second of the Carey School’s two annual commencement ceremonies is planned for August 6.