Purdue Graduation | The Class of ’21 celebrates commencement at Ross-Ade Stadium
Channel: Purdue University
Date: 21/05/2021

Watch the highlights of Purdue Graduation for the class of '21, a class like no other! Following a school year unlike any other, Purdue’s Class of 2021 celebrated commencement unlike any previous graduating class of Boilermakers — and not just because University President Mitch Daniels arrived for the ceremony on Saturday, May 15, by riding shotgun on a motorized couch.

The spring 2021 commencement at Ross-Ade Stadium on May 15 marked the first time the University has held the ceremony outdoors. Purdue recognized undergraduate, professional and master’s degree candidates at Saturday’s ceremony. The University’s PhD recipients celebrated commencement the following day, May 16, at Elliott Hall of Music.

Due to state and county COVID-19 regulations, Purdue allotted two guest tickets to each graduate and assigned seats to each attendee in accordance with the social-distancing standards outlined in the University’s Protect Purdue policy. Purdue livestreamed both ceremonies on its website for those unable to attend in person.

In adhering to Protect Purdue guidelines as they completed their degree paths, these Boilermakers collectively made a departing gesture that once again displayed a commitment to the University — and to each other — that buoyed Purdue’s efforts to reopen and provide a safe learning environment for the 2020-21 academic year. This was truly a year where the University’s graduation social media hashtag, #PurdueWeDidIt, had special meaning.

As Daniels shared in his remarks to the graduates, “You are leaving here ready for leadership. Your academic records say so. The history of Purdue graduates says so. The character you demonstrated this last year, when your embrace of the Purdue Pledge enabled this place to stay open at all, clearly says so. We expect, no, we know, that you will tackle leadership’s challenges as they present themselves to you. You’re taking with you the tools to weigh alternatives, balance priorities, assess relative risks. All you’ll need is the courage to act on the conclusions you reach.”