Congratulations to the Class of 2021!
Convocation Countdown
Friday, May 14 | 10 a.m. EDT
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Program for Virtual Ceremony
Executive Dean's Welcome and Address
Laura J. Lawson
Interim Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Interim Executive Dean of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Interim Executive Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
Class Representatives Remarks
Chelsea Phuangthong
Neha Mishra
Dwiti Patel
Academic Dean's Remarks
Thomas Leustek
Dean of Academic Programs
Distribution of Degrees
Slideshow
Closing Remarks
Laura J. Lawson
Executive Dean
Closing Song
"On the Banks of the Old Raritan"
Rutgers Glee Club
Shop SEBS
Check out our new online store featuring custom School of Environmental and Biological Sciences apparel. Show your pride with a wide selection of embroidered polos, baseball caps, T-shirts, hoodies, and other SEBS merchandise. Whether you are buying for your new graduate, a current student, or an alumni, our online store is the one-stop shop for all of your SEBS apparel and merchandise.
Virtual Photo Booth
Grab a photo, place it on a campus background, download and share! Access the photo booth! This is a fun way to place yourself back on campus while also celebrating the Class of 2021. Make sure to share with your family and friends. They can take part in the fun, too.
Show Your Scarlet Pride
Your graduation will be remembered as a significant and memorable point in your lives and we are so excited to celebrate your accomplishments! Show your scarlet pride and invite your family and friends to support one of your greatest achievements! Make sure to use our official hashtag #RU2021.
SEBS-Specific Photo Filters
Post-Graduation Survey
Complete the Rutgers Post-Grad Survey for a chance to win your choice of Apple Air Pods or a $100 Amazon gift card!
Contact careers@echo.rutgers.edu with questions.
Senior Portraits
Lors Photography is offering Senior Portrait Sessions at three remote off-campus locations in New Jersey (New Brunswick, Mount Laurel, and Toms River). Seniors have been sent an email from Lors on Monday, January 18 with details and links to book your portrait session.
This email was sent by Lors to the email address on file with the registrar's office. If you did not receive an email, please email customerservice@lorsstudio.com or call 908-964-3040.
Message from President Holloway
Members of the Rutgers Community:
After careful discussion with the chancellors over the past several weeks, I am writing to inform you that we have decided to hold all commencement events across Rutgers by virtual means rather than hold in-person ceremonies. This decision was a disappointing one to make in light of the difficulties our graduating students have already endured, but public health concerns related to the ongoing pandemic continue to make it unwise for us to plan for large in-person gatherings this spring. And unfortunately, it is not feasible to create appropriate, smaller ceremonies in a safe and equitable way.
Each campus is exploring the most effective ways to honor their graduates by remote means this spring, and we are earnestly hoping to host in-person celebrations later in the year to further salute our graduates from both 2020 and 2021.
Why are we making this decision now? Because, despite the optimism that the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines has brought us, our health experts have advised that even if the pace of the vaccination rollout increases, our state will not be at a point where it will be safe to gather in large crowds, even outdoors, until mid- to late summer at the earliest. With more than 18,000 graduating students across our campuses, we don't have the capacity to ensure the health and safety of graduates and guests. Rather than book and plan for outdoor venues, only to cancel them as May draws near, we have determined that it is better to put our energies into making commencement season as well-designed, creative, and meaningful as possible in a virtual setting.
Follow-up messages regarding commencement events will come from the chancellors and/or deans later this month. I support their efforts to find ways to celebrate safely and know that they are eager to engage their communities as they consider how best to do so.
I recognize that this decision will be deeply disappointing to our graduating students and their families and friends, and I am very sorry. I know you deserve better and wish that we could make it happen in a safe and responsible way this spring. At the point where we can resume holding large in-person gatherings, we will gladly plan for events that celebrate your accomplishments at Rutgers.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Holloway
President and University Professor