Community Colleges of Spokane cancel in-person commencement ceremony

The Community Colleges of Spokane have canceled another in-person graduation ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The district, which includes Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College, had hoped to hold a commencement ceremony at the Spokane Arena in August for about 2,150 students earning degrees and certificates. But administrators were forced to cancel the event as Spokane County remains in Phase 2 of the governor’s reopening plan.

“We are impressed with the persistence and resilience exhibited by our class of 2020 students and proud of them for finishing their degrees and certificates,” the district’s chancellor, Christine Johnson, said in a news release Wednesday. “We are truly disappointed to miss the opportunity to congratulate them in a formal ceremony.”

The graduating students have earned a mix of associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, career and technical certificates, high school diplomas through the Running Start program and GED diplomas. Those students will receive graduation packages in the mail, along with invitations to participate in Class of 2021 commencement ceremonies next spring, the district said.

As many U.S. colleges and universities begin to gradually reopen their campuses, SCC and SFCC plan to offer a mix of online, in-person and hybrid courses this fall.