Our Approach to Graduation at UA Grantham

Graduation has always been an important milestone at UA Grantham. It signifies persistence and dedication and marks the completion of hard work. While the meaning of graduation has never changed, the way we celebrate it has evolved over time.

Until 2019, UA Grantham held a traditional graduation ceremony each year. Graduates, families, faculty, and staff gathered in a downtown convention center to celebrate together. Speeches were given, graduates walked across the stage, and memories were made. It was a wonderful event, loved by everyone who attended.

In 2020, the pandemic made it impossible to hold an in-person ceremony. Rather than allow the moment to pass unrecognized, the university came together in a virtual graduation experience delivered through Zoom. It was a new approach, but it allowed UA Grantham to continue honoring its graduates during an extraordinary time.

In 2021, the UA Grantham team enhanced the virtual celebration. At the same time, the university began looking more closely at how graduates engaged in commencement activities. What we found was consistent both before and after the pandemic: only about one-quarter of each graduating class participated in graduation activities.

That realization prompted an important question: If UA Grantham’s mission is to serve all students, could graduation be celebrated in a way that reaches more graduates, more often?

The answer was to approach graduation in the same way UA Grantham approaches learning. Just as the university delivers education online to meet students where they are, we decided to make graduation a fully online experience. This allows us to recognize graduates regardless of where they live, work, or serve.

It also allows us to direct more resources toward sharing the stories of our graduates. Rather than investing heavily in a single event that serves a relatively small portion of the graduating class, we can now highlight the accomplishments of many more students throughout the year.

Today, we celebrate graduation every month by sharing the stories of our graduates on our website and across social media. These stories showcase determination, achievement, and the impact that education can have on a person's life. They allow us to recognize graduates not only on a single day, but throughout the year.

Every six months, we also mark graduation by recognizing members of our community whose actions reflect our values. Through the Outstanding Graduate Award, Student Service Award, and Faculty Award, we honor individuals who exemplify grit, persistence, and perseverance.

Our teams are working to continue and improve on the graduation experience. For example, in 2026 we modified the Graduation Program so that each graduate can purchase a personalized program that includes their photo and story. And we will continue to add to the online experience in the coming years.

The format may have changed, but the purpose remains the same. Graduation is about recognizing achievement, celebrating personal growth, and honoring the effort required to reach an important goal. Today, we are able to do that in a way that includes more graduates, shares more stories, and extends the celebration throughout the year.