Spring commencement returns to stadium for second year in a row

Due to the ongoing construction of Moody Coliseum, graduation continues to be in the wildcat stadium

There will be three ceremonies starting with an evening graduate ceremony on May 6 at 8 p.m. Continuing the with the undergraduate ceremonies on the next day, May 7, one morning and one afternoon at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. respectively.

Garrison Powell, university relations officer, said that it still doesn’t feel like a normal year for graduation.

“Just because we haven’t had the ceremony back with Moody undergoing renovation towards the tail end of COVID, it still feels kind of a little bit not like normal,” Powell said.”But I think the big thing is just being able to have a ceremony during COVID.”

Despite the location change, April Young, senior alumni university relations officer, said they have still been able to implement the traditions that the campus is familiar with. Alongside the candlelight devotional, the alumni office started the tradition of giving Purple Line pins after seniors walk across the stage.

“It started a few years ago,” Young said. “We started giving out Purple Line pins. I’m from the Alumni Association so that’s turned into what I would consider being a tradition. Now, a lot of people probably don’t know about it, but we want every graduate to leave with a little piece of purple to represent they leave this place as an alumnus.”

Graduates however, continue to be upset about not graduating in Moody. Ally Brant, senior physics major from Abilene, said being in the stadium is the best way to graduate on ACU grounds.

“Since I heard that Moody would not be ready for my graduation I was very upset. As a kid who grew up on ACU campus, I always saw myself graduating in Moody,” Brant said. “I also wished we were the first to graduate in the new and improved Moody. I am glad to at least graduate in the Wildcat Stadium on ACU ground.”

Looking forward to the future, Moody Coliseum is expected to be completed in June of 2022. This year the alumni is just happy to be able to host a graduation without COVID-19 on ACU’s campus, said Powell.

“I think we’ll feel completely back to normal once we’re back in Moody,” Powell said. “Definitely being back on campus is a big step in the right direction but we’re just really proud of those graduates.”