TCU will honor May and August 2020 graduates with online festivities that include a Facebook Live event, digital class photo mosaic and social media posts recapping their four years at TCU.
The university previously announced it would be unable to host the Aug. 7 Senior Toast and Aug. 8 commencement ceremonies for May and August 2020 graduates due to the surge in coronavirus cases across the region and state.
To kick off the virtual celebrations, graduates will receive an email with a link to upload photos to be included in a Class of 2020 commemorative mosaic. Grads also can show their Horned Frog Class of 2020 pride by posting pics on their favorite social media accounts using the #TCUgrad2020 hashtag. Uploads will run July 27 through Aug. 9.
Starting Aug. 3, Class of 2020 “Year in Review” photos will be posted on TCU’s social media accounts, highlighting memories from across their four years on campus. Photos will come from the TCU yearbook archives.
Also available starting Aug. 3, a graduate digital party pack on commencement.tcu.edu will include all the essentials: purple margarita recipe, printable banners, photo props, mortarboard stencil and more!
The online celebrations will culminate with a Facebook Live party at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, where each graduate’s name will scroll across the scoreboard at the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. The event will be livestreamed. (Visitors will not be allowed inside the arena.)
“The class of 2020 is very special. This global pandemic has disrupted so many of their plans and dreams, but they have continued to respond with grace, grit and resiliency. I couldn’t be more proud of their ability to adapt, persevere and innovate in the face of every new challenge that comes their way. They are inspiring examples of Horned Frogs who lead on,” Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. said. “And while we can’t laud their many accomplishments and milestones in person right now, we can celebrate them online.”
Diplomas
May graduates’ diplomas were mailed earlier this summer. August graduates’ diplomas will be available for pick up in the Registrar’s office in M.E. Sadler Hall, Room 1006, the week of Aug. 11-14. Any diplomas that are not picked up will be sent by certified mail to the permanent address listed in the system.
Graduates’ deluxe diploma cover will be mailed to their permanent address along with a tassel and a copy of the commencement program. There is no charge for the mailings, and TCU is refunding/reversing graduation fees that have already been collected.
Caps and gowns
TCU’s signature purple graduation gowns and all the regalia will be available for photo ops and graduates’ family celebrations. By using the link, https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1078709/Texas-Christian-University/, May and August 2020 grads may reserve caps, gowns and regalia to be shipped to them. The cost of their rental regalia and shipping will be billed to TCU.
The rental regalia package will include a return UPS label. Graduates are asked to use the labels to return gowns, master’s hoods and doctoral tams within three weeks. (If the return label is missing, grads can call Jostens at 800-854-7464.)
Class of 2020 stats
May’s 2,082 graduates hail from 43 states and 42 countries and include:
- 1,657 bachelor’s degrees
- 367 master’s degrees
- 31 doctoral degrees
- 27 Brite Divinity School degrees
- 34 students earning double degrees
- 14 students graduating with 4.0 GPAs
August’s 163 graduates represent 17 states and four countries and include:
- 110 bachelor’s degrees
- 35 master’s degrees
- 10 doctoral degrees
- 8 Brite Divinity School degrees
- 1 student graduating with a 4.0 GPA