Camosun College graduation moves online due to pandemic

Recent Camosun College graduate Mairin Scott. (Tracey Scott)

Victoria — With restrictions on gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19, post-secondary institutions have had to come up with creative ways to honour graduating students.

When Camosun College was forced to postpone formal convocation ceremonies for the Class of 2020, it looked to its website to recognize the accomplishments of its students. The college has posted videos and messages on a special online convocation hub.

“This year’s graduates have endured exceptional obstacles to complete their studies,” said Camosun College president Sherri Bell. “Graduation is an important life milestone; it's the culmination of everything our students have accomplished throughout their educational journey.”

The post-secondary institution’s president says that one of the keys to the success of Camosun graduates is the connections they form with their instructors.

For one student who has just completed three years of study in the hospitality management program, that sentiment could not be more true. The chair of the program is her dad.

“I grew up in hotels where he had to work, always being around that fast-paced environment so I was very lucky to be exposed to that at a young age,” said Mairin Scott. “Hearing his stories is what brought me into this.”

With the prospect of a graduation ceremony still very far in the future, the Scott family came up with a way that Mairin could still enjoy a part of the graduation experience.

Her mom bought a grad gown online and her dad donned his gown from his university days. The daughter and father went off to have pictures taken around the college’s Lansdowne campus to celebrate the end of being a student-instructor team.

“You can do things online but it isn’t quite the same,” said program chair and proud father Stephen Scott. “So we said, ‘Why not get a set of robes for Mairin and walk around and take some photos?' So that’s exactly what we did.”

For the younger Scott, graduation will be something she will always remember.

“I’m going to forever remember it as the year the virus thing was around,” said Mairin. “It would be nice to throw your hat up in the air and walk across the stage but either way it is still an accomplishment, a reflection of myself and the work I put in.”

Her graduation will be something her father will keep dear to his heart.

“I have to say the heart overflows right now,” said Stephen.