Clarksville, TN – On December 11th-12th, 2020, Austin Peay State University (APSU) will host four commencement ceremonies to honor the University’s fall graduates.
Earlier this year, the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic caused Austin Peay State University officials to re-examine how the University can follow national and local health standards while also recognizing the accomplishments of its students. The answer was to host more events with fewer people.
On Friday, December 11th, the University will host three ceremonies throughout the day, with a fourth ceremony scheduled for Saturday morning.
All ceremonies will take place in the APSU Dunn Center and all students, guests and Austin Peay State University employees will be required to follow the University’s COVID-19 Coronavirus guidelines and safety protocols.
The Ceremonies
- 9:00am, December 11th, APSU will honor graduates from the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
- 1:00pm, December 11th, APSU will honor graduates from the College of Behavioral and Health Science’s Health and Human Performance, Nursing, and Psychological Science and Counseling programs, along with students majoring in General Studies.
- 4:00pm, December 11th, APSU will honor the College of Business and the College of Behavioral and Health Science’s Criminal Justice, Leadership and Organizational Administration, Political Science, Public Management, Social Work and Sociology graduates.
- 9:00am, December 12th, APSU will honor graduates from the Eriksson College of Education and students earning the Liberal Arts associate degree.
Commencement Speaker
This winter also marks the return of a commencement speaker, with Dr. Minoa Uffelman, APSU professor of history and recipient of the 2020 APSU National Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award, delivering the commencement address at all four ceremonies.
Uffelman is a renowned scholar of southern history, and she has co-edited two acclaimed Clarksville Civil War diaries: “The Diary of Serepta Jordan: A Southern Woman’s Struggle with War and Family, 1857-1864” and “Nannie Haskins Williams: One Southern Woman’s Life of Rebellion to Reconstruction.”
Uffelman wrote a scholarly introduction of the history of food for the historic cookbook “Taproots of Tennessee,” and she has published 30 encyclopedia entries in 14 different encyclopedias about topics concerning the Civil War, agriculture, progressivism and women.
She has reviewed 30 books for numerous journals, and she has presented academic papers at 21 conferences and commented on panels at 14. Previously, Uffelman has won awards for teaching excellence, outstanding academic advising and as faculty advisor of Phi Alpha Theta, which earned national Best Chapter Awards from 2008-2018.
Safety Protocols
In order to provide as safe an environment as possible, all graduates and guests (three years and older) must wear a face covering or mask over their nose and mouth while inside the Dunn Center. The number of guest seats available in the Dunn Center will be limited to ensure social distancing, and each graduate will be provided with four tickets to distribute to guests.
Every guest, regardless of age, entering the Dunn Center will be required to present a ticket. The ceremonies will also be shortened to limit time indoors, but attending graduates will be recognized by name as they walk across the stage.
Graduates who have applied to participate in Commencement may obtain tickets for their guests at special ticket pick-up events November 11th-12th, or at “Will Call” immediately before their scheduled ceremony. Detailed information has been emailed to students who are participating, and additional information will be posted on the commencement webpage.
How to watch
Austin Peay offers a free live webcast of each commencement ceremony. A link to the webcast will be made available on the commencement webpage, www.apsu.edu/commencement/commencementinformation/webcast.php within 24 hours prior to each ceremony. Commencement is also aired live on CDE Lightband channel 9, Spectrum Cable channel 192, or AT&T Uverse channel 99, and it can be heard on WAPX-FM radio, 91.9Mhz.
Plans for the ceremonies in December are subject to modification based upon changes in the COVID-19 Coronavirus environment. Any updates about the ceremonies will be emailed to participating graduates and posted on the University’s social media accounts and the Commencement webpage, www.apsu.edu/commencement/index.php.
