“I’m so happy for all our graduates and their families and am thrilled they were able to mark this momentous occasion in the manner they deserved—surrounded by those who have supported them throughout this journey,” says Advancement Events & Commencement Coordinator Shannon Collart.
The University adjusted its main Commencement plans, holding multiple ceremonies organized by majors across three local off-campus venues.
The ceremonies took place concurrently in the Eureka Theater, Eureka High School, and the Blue Lake Casino Sapphire Palace. The University also hosted its second annual Regional Commencement ceremony at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. Introduced last year, the regional event is designed to help more families and friends from Southern California celebrate the moment with their graduates.
In total, 1,120 graduates and 258 faculty participated in Commencement and 10,089 guests joined them.
The University modified Commencement due to the campus closure and security concerns. Despite the change of scenery, the ceremonies were just as festive, energizing, and boisterous.
“At each ceremony, you could feel the energy of the crowds. Everyone was cheering—and in some cases very loudly—for their grads,” Collart says. “We know this has been an emotional time, so it was amazing to see how the Lumberjack community came together to make this happen. The families were very appreciative of being able to celebrate this milestone. ”
Shifting to multiple graduation ceremonies in just 10 days underscored the resilience of Humboldt’s community.
Cal Poly Humboldt is deeply grateful to Blue Lake Rancheria, Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Police Department, Eureka Theater, Eureka High School, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, Yurok Tribal Police Department, Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department, Arcata Police Department, and Eureka Community Emergency Response Team.
See Commencement Photos: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences | College of Natural Resources & Sciences | College of Professional Studies | Regional Commencement (Saban Theatre)
More Commencement Information
New graduates are encouraged to register for FREE with Forever Humboldt, the official association for the Cal Poly Humboldt community. Registered members receive ongoing Library access, special discounts at local businesses, access to career resources, special invites to Forever Humboldt events, and more. Get more information on the Forever Humboldt website.
Students are also encouraged to take the Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility, a Commencement tradition that began at Humboldt in 1987 and has been used by more than 100 universities worldwide.