It’s taken four long years or more, and it’s finally time for some University of Memphis students to finish their college careers.
Hopefully, there is little standing in the way of the graduates walking across the stage in their black caps and gowns. But for some, commencement isn’t so important.
Of a graduating class of 1,500 students, Marion Emslie, director of commencement, said 200 to 300 might not attend commencement. However, the reasons for not attending vary from person to person.
It could be that they already have a job and they’ve relocated to some place else, Emslie said. It’s also possible that graduates may not have family or friends who are able to attend, and the ceremony might not be of any interest to them.
Some believe the May 11 ceremony at The Pyramid is just a formality for students and guests to celebrate their achievements because no one will be certified to graduate at that time. However, many students will walk, hoping to finish their course requirements after they recieve their diplomas.
“If they’re not attending they may know they’re not graduating,” Emslie said. “Or they have other courses to take. But most students who don’t attend do so for personal reasons. They make a choice.”
For some, the ceremony is in many ways a ritual. It’s a tradition, where the thought of graduating takes on a completely new meaning.
“Many families are invested in seeing their son or daughter walk across the stage and actually graduate,” Emslie said. “They may be the first college graduate in the family, so it’s a big exciting event for most people. But a few have personal reasons that influence why they choose not to attend. The students who don’t attend primarily are graduate students.
“They’ve already received a degree, and this is their second degree and the ceremony itself is not that important to them.”
When former University of Memphis journalism major Shawn Pachucki graduated in May 2002, he was one of those students who saw no real point in walking. He said it had a lot to do with the lengthy ceremony.
“My name was at the very end of the list and the journalism department was going to be called last,” Pachucki said. “I didn’t want to sit for three hours, but even if I had been at the beginning I probably would not have gone. I spent five years at the school. Getting through school and getting your diploma is what counts.”
Despite not graduating until December, senior management information systems major Dennis Paganoni said he hasn’t decided if he’ll attend commencement. If he doesn’t attend the ceremony, it will likely be because of the situation at the time.
“It really just depends on scheduling and stuff when the ceremony takes place,” Paganoni said. “And how many people will actually be taking part in it. My family and I live nearby here, so that wouldn’t be a problem. It would really be a personal preference.”
All students certified to graduate will receive their diplomas by mail, regardless of their attendance at the ceremony.
