Fresno City reverses plan to hold all-virtual commencement, will use Chukchansi Park

Fresno City College on Wednesday reversed its decision to hold only virtual commencement ceremonies this year, and will instead hold an in-person graduation for the classes of 2020 and 2021.

The ceremonies will be held at 8 p.m. on June 23 and June 24 at Chukchansi Park in downtown Fresno, according to a news release. Each student will receive two tickets for guests to attend.

The business, health and STEM ceremony will be on June 23; and arts, communication and language, culture, education and society and tech and trades will get the June 24 date. Ceremonies will also be livestreamed, officials said. The events will end with fireworks.

Students can find their pathway on the Fresno City College website.

The dates are a few weeks further out than normal so students can have time to plan and purchase regalia, school officials said.

Graduates will receive an email on Friday and will have to RSVP to the ceremony no later than May 14.

Masks and social distancing will be required at the ceremonies.

“We are fortunate that we are now seeing much improvement in the Fresno County metrics, giving us hope that we will be able to move towards some normalcy in our routines,” the college said in a statement. “However, we are not out of the woods yet, and as a result we are still following guidelines from the Fresno County Public Health Department on how to proceed. Decisions we make today regarding our Commencement in the future are based on current protocols … and are subject to change.”

Fresno City announced in March that due to an influx of coronavirus cases, commencement would only be held virtually. Since then, Fresno State and some K-12 districts have decided to hold in-person ceremonies as cases decline in the county.

Officials said the class of 2021 — at 2,295 — is the largest class in Fresno City’s history. The class of 2020 had 2,006 graduates.

“These numbers are a great indication of the dedication and perseverance of Fresno City College students who were determined to succeed in the face of adversity,” the school said in a statement. “They didn’t let the hardship of going to college during a pandemic hold them back.”