June 6, 2012
Q: What does it take to put on SU's commencement?
A: In a nutshell, quite a lot of work. Almost as soon as one year's graduation ceremonies end, the Commencement Planning Committee begins working on the next year's proceedings. The committee is comprised of 14 faculty and staff and co-chaired by Andrew Anderson of the Registrar's Office and Kate Kelly of Conference and Event Services. It is estimated that the co-chairs alone devote more than 200 hours to planning for commencement. About 50 staff and 20 students work behind the scenes to ensure the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies are a success. Some of the crew starts setting up the night before (6 p.m. to midnight). And let's not forget about all the faculty and staff who participate in both ceremonies, which is a time commitment of nine-plus hours.
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