NJIT Community Members,

The end of the spring semester is typically a joyous time for our graduating students who are preparing to receive their degrees at commencement, a celebration of a student’s transition from university to professional life. Unfortunately, this year’s graduates have needed to remain physically apart from one another when they should be enjoying the culmination of their NJIT journey together.

This is disappointing to all of us and, sadly, we are unable to deliver our traditional May commencement ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on large gatherings. Current circumstances have forced us to depart from our annual gatherings at the Prudential Center and the WEC and to think creatively about how best to acknowledge the accomplishments of the Class of 2020 with their friends and loved ones. We, therefore, have committed to providing both a virtual commencement in a timely manner and an in-person celebration at such time as it is deemed safe to do so. Today, I write to announce that NJIT will host its virtual commencement at 4 pm on Friday, June 12, 2020, on the NJIT website (njit.edu).

To the Class of 2020, I extend the university’s congratulations. Although you graduate into a world coping with a global pandemic and its financial repercussions, better days are ahead. You have accomplished much in your time at NJIT, and the lessons you have learned as well as the friendships you have forged will help you on the road ahead.

I also wish to express the university’s most sincere regrets that you will not experience a typical commencement at the end of this semester. Please be assured that the NJIT Commencement Committee is striving to provide the best possible virtual experience, which will include academic regalia and personalized videos of our graduates wearing their regalia as part of the ceremony. In order to accomplish this goal, the virtual ceremony needed to be moved to the June date because the vendors providing commencement regalia have seen their operational capabilities limited by the COVID-19 pandemic and are not able to ship the attire to our graduates in time for a May ceremony.

For the members of the Class of 2020, I encourage you to visit our Commencement website (commencement.njit.edu), where you can order your regalia and submit the correct pronunciation of your name between April 29 - May 13. Additionally, you may submit a celebratory video wearing your regalia once the attire has been shipped to your residence. All candidate videos must be submitted between May 14 - May 28.

I encourage members of the Class of 2020 to please visit commencement.njit.edu periodically for the most up-to-date information on the commencement ceremony. If you have any questions after reviewing the website, please email us at commencement@njit.edu.

Congratulations, graduates, on your accomplishments. Our pride in you is immense, and we are confident in the profound and positive ways in which you will impact the world in which we live as you leave NJIT. We will celebrate you as best we can on June 12, and we look forward to a future date when we will be able to gather in person and acknowledge this milestone.

Thank you all, and please stay well.

Sincerely,

Fadi P. Deek

Provost and Senior Executive Vice President