The class of 2021’s commencement ceremony will be held virtually on May 9, Emerson announced in an email Thursday. 

The announcement comes amid statewide continuing capacity limits on all indoor and outdoor events—a cap of 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors—as well as surging cases on campus. On Wednesday, the college reported 10 new positive tests—the highest single-day report of the semester—bringing the total number of the spring to 54, just six under the cumulative fall semester total 

The 2021 commencement ceremony will closely mirror the 2020 commencement ceremony, with graduates, family, and friends coming together online to partake in the celebration. The 45-minute ceremony will include a guest speaker, a presidential address, and class speakers. 

Instead of walking the stage, students will submit an image of themselves that will be shown on screen as graduates’ names are read. 

The college will also host an event for the class of 2020, according to the commencement website. Online events to welcome the class of 2020 into the “alumni network” will be held for students who graduated last year starting on May 3. 

Additional information about the 2021 commencement will be shared through the college’s commencement website, along with an invitation for the classes of 2020 and 2021 to submit a recorded pronunciation of their name, a photograph to be used for the events, and an Emerson diploma cover request.