Convocation is the highlight of the academic year, and when the College community can’t gather to mark the occasion in-person during the global pandemic, it’s more important than ever to be #NCTogether for our graduates.
College staff, faculty and administrators can help make virtual convocation all the more meaningful for our Class of 2021 by getting involved.
Since the onset of the global pandemic last year, NC has set itself apart from any other postsecondary institution in Canada by launching highly interactive, live broadcast virtual convocation ceremonies for our graduates. The ceremonies proved to be memorable for our graduates and their families and drew tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. The involvement of our College community has been key to their resounding success.
NC staff, faculty and administrators are encouraged to participate in virtual convocation by submitting a video message to graduates, encouraging student participation, and posting/ sharing content via social media.
Submit a video message to graduates
Pre-recorded video well-wishes to graduates from staff, faculty and administrators are played as part of the live ceremony broadcasts and are vital to the success of the celebrations. They reflect the caring nature of our College community intrinsic to our ‘NC DNA’ which we hope has defined their experience at NC, and will leave them with fond, lasting memories of their time with the College.
We hope to gather enough video well wishes from each school / program this spring so that graduates will be able to hear from staff/faculty/ administrators familiar to them during their convocation ceremony.
Who can submit video well wishes
Staff, faculty and administrators who have worked closely with our graduates are invited to submit video messages of congratulations to our Class of 2021.
Videos may be specific to a program area / school of study, or may be a general message to all graduates.
Tips for recording / submitting your video well wishes
- Use your cellphone to record and upload your video or, if preferred, record with a camera and upload files from your computer.
- Submissions should be 30-60 seconds in length.
- Ensure the camera is horizontal during your recording.
- Subjects should fill the frame and be close to the camera.
- Light should be bright and even while recording a video.
- Avoid windy or noisy areas when recording your video.
- Ensure that COVID-19 public health regulations / safety measures are followed while recording your video. Only individual submissions will be accepted at this time due to physical distancing guidelines. If recording on campus, PPE requirements must be followed.
How to submit video well-wishes
Simply upload videos to the www.dropbox.com/request/zDyWElyfU3pPa3P50dzh by Friday, June 11 (11:59 p.m. deadline). If you have trouble accessing the dropbox link directly from this notice, please copy and paste the link into your browser directly.
Ideas for well-wishes
Seeking inspiration for what to say to our Class of 2021? Some suggestions include:
- Share a memory from the past academic year or from your time with our graduates. “I will never forget when …”
- Encourage our graduates to take away an important lesson from their time at NC. “Graduates, if you remember one thing from our class, I hope it’s …”
- Share your advice or words of wisdom. “I believe the secret to success is …”
- Share an example of how their class has made a difference in the community. “When we supported [insert initiative] I was very proud of our work.”
View examples from Convocation – 2020 in the video at the top of this article.
Encourage student participation
- Reach out to graduates by email or social media and encourage them to participate in their scheduled ceremonies and their program area’s Zoom viewing party (additional information will become available regarding how faculty may participate in their program’s Zoom party).
- Staff and faculty are encouraged to support the College community by promoting virtual convocation. As an ambassador for the College at a time when students may not be sure about what to expect, you can assist by helping to build awareness and excitement around the virtual event.
Post and share content on social media
- Post and share messages via social media that encourage participation in the virtual ceremonies, share memories from the academic year, and stories that celebrate our Class of 2021.
- Ensure that all convocation content posted includes the hashtag #NCGrad2021. Posts that include the hashtag will appear on the College’s convocation tagboard; and likes, comments and reactions during the ceremonies will be visible on the livestream.
What to expect at Virtual Convocation
NC’s Virtual Convocation ceremonies offer graduates an opportunity to celebrate this special milestone in a safe and meaningful way- before they move on to the next chapter of their lives.
Those attending virtual convocation will watch the live broadcast of the formal ceremony as it takes place at the Welland Campus conducted by College president Sean Kennedy and VP Academic Fiona Allan in real time. Ceremony livestreams may be accessed via the Spring 2021 Virtual Convocation website and NC’s Facebook page.
Each unique virtual ceremony is dedicated to different program areas, as they would be in-person, and will include treasured traditions such as the reading of each graduate’s name aloud (and viewed onscreen), the granting of student awards, inspiring speeches – including a special guest speaker (to be announced) and more.
The virtual ceremonies augment tradition with modern broadcasting, video and social media tools to create a truly interactive virtual experience for the graduates, connecting them with their classmates, families and friends, and College staff.
Graduates will be invited to participate in Program Zoom Parties where they can interact with their classmates and College staff/faculty during the ceremony, and even make their virtual appearance on screen during the ceremony broadcast. Staff/faculty will receive information regarding their Program Zoom Parties as their ceremony date draws near.
Ceremonies will include videos featuring memories shared by the Class of 2021, as well as well wishes to graduates from the College community and beyond. Virtual convocation will offer graduating students a custom social media experience, connecting them with the College community, family and friends as live reactions are shared through posts and tweets using the dedicated convocation hashtag #NCGrad2021
Visit the Spring 2021 Virtual Convocation website for details.
Watch video featuring NC’s trailblazing 2020 virtual convocation below:
Questions or feedback
Please contact Carly Root in the Office of the President at [email protected].
