Columbus State holds first in-person commencement since pandemic began

If you had to name the most joyful spot in Columbus on Friday, Columbus State Community College’s first in-person commencement ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic began might top the list.

Loved ones cheered and hollered for their graduates from the time they entered the Celeste Center at the Ohio State Fairgrounds to “Pomp and Circumstance” to when they moved the tassels on their caps. Balloons and bouquets of flowers for graduates peppered the crowd. Children ran down the bleachers to hug their mothers with new diplomas in hand.

“This is a celebration,” Columbus State President David Harrison said to graduates’ loved ones during the ceremony. “We want you to have every opportunity to express your joy.”

About 1,300 graduates received diplomas during two separate ceremonies Friday. The ceremonies celebrated all students who graduated between spring 2020 and autumn 2021. More than 900 of those graduates completed their degrees this past summer and fall. The remaining roughly 440 graduates had missed out on previous ceremonies and were finally get their chance to walk across the stage to receive their diplomas in person.

The last in-person graduation held by Columbus State was in December 2019. Students who graduated since then were honored in virtual ceremonies.

Harrison remarked that commencement is always one of his favorite days of the year. And after the last couple of years, Friday’s ceremony felt all the more meaningful, he said.

“I know how hard you’ve worked, and I know it hasn’t been easy, but believe me when I say it will be worth it,” Harrison told the graduates.

Read more: ‘We’re having big fun’: One Columbus family has three college graduations in three weeks

The pandemic presented a number of unprecedented challenges for students to complete their studies, Harrison said. He received letters from students sharing how they were working multiple jobs, caring for family members and dealing with loss –– of jobs, of child care and of loved ones. 

But students showed tenacity throughout it all, Harrison said, which has brought them to this point.

Mary Yoko Luseni knows that feeling well. 

The 35-year-old Blacklick resident moved to the U.S. seven years ago from West Africa and started attending Columbus State in 2019. Almost her entire college career was spent in the pandemic. Earning her associate degree in information technology Friday was the culmination of all her hard work.

“This day is a huge win for all of us,” she said. “It wasn’t easy for anyone.”

Before the ceremony, Luseni snapped a few selfies at a Columbus State photo booth. She held a sign reading, “I couldn’t have done it without you!” to celebrate her friend, Deborah Jenkins.

“She’s been there for me every step of the way,” Luseni said, holding back tears.

Related: Pandemic spurs colleges to ‘meet students where they’re at,’ provide flexible options