Bringing together families, friends and fellow classmates from across the country and around the world to celebrate the August and December Classes of 2020, West Virginia University will host 14 online commencement ceremonies for the 2,680 graduates on Saturday, Dec. 19.

“Although we would have preferred to celebrate in-person, we look forward to celebrating our graduates virtually and welcome all of Mountaineer Nation to join us for this momentous occasion,” Special Events Coordinator Lisa Martin said.

The virtual graduation experience will resemble the University’s traditional, in-person graduation with remarks from Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Maryanne Reed, inspiring words of wisdom and degree conferral from President Gordon Gee and a keynote address by Brad Smith, WVU presidential honorary degree recipient and former Intuit president and CEO who currently serves as executive board chairman.

Smith and his wife, Alys, recently provided a $25 million gift, one of the largest in WVU’s history, to fund a new remote worker program to ignite the state’s economy, develop world-class recreational infrastructure and expand outdoor educational opportunities through the newly named Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative.

Graduates will also hear special messages from their deans, and although they won’t walk across the commencement stage during the presentation of candidates, their names will simultaneously scroll on screen while being read aloud.

Ceremonies will conclude with a virtual tassel turn, and to celebrate in true University fashion, graduates near and far will sing “Country Roads.”

Information and links to the video ceremonies created to honor the August and December graduates will be available at graduation.wvu.edu.

Leading up to commencement, graduates are encouraged to share their favorite memories through short videos and photos on social media using #WVUgrad and tagging @WestVirginiaU on Twitter and Instagram and WVU Mountaineers on Facebook.