As we approach the beginning of Spring, there are a few important updates regarding our plans for Honors Convocation and Academic Conference, Commencement and the Fall 2021 semester.

Honors Convocation and Academic Conference: Wednesday, May 5
This year’s Honors Convocation and Academic Conference will be a hybrid event on Wednesday, May 5. Honors Convocation will begin at 1 p.m. in the Basilica, with award winners and department chairs/representatives attending in-person, while a livestream will be available to the SVC community.

Academic Conference will be mostly virtual, with limited opportunities for in-person presentations and research displays outside on-campus. Additional details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Spring 2021 Commencement: Saturday, May 22
We are planning to host an in-person, outdoor commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 22, at 2 p.m. at Chuck Noll Field in the heart of campus.

To comply with state directives on outdoor gatherings, each student will have the option to reserve two tickets for the ceremony. Additionally, all students and guests will be expected to comply with the College’s Health and Safety Plan, including wearing a mask and practicing physical distancing.

Registration for commencement is now open at this link: https://www.eventsquid.com/event/12713. Students must use their SVC email account to register. Questions related to Commencement should be directed to the Event and Conference Services Department at commencement@stvincent.edu or 724-532-5030.

Please note that unforeseen circumstances with the pandemic, including increasing positive case rates in our community or our region, or new directives from the state that limit the number of people who may attend outdoor gatherings, could force us to change plans. Updates will be shared about commencement in the coming weeks.

Planning for the Fall 2021 Semester
We are planning to return to full classroom capacity on campus for the Fall 2021 semester. With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, we are optimistic that the circumstances with the pandemic will be such that classes can be safely held in this manner.

Fall classes are scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 30. The final day of class is slated for Friday, Dec. 10, while final examinations are scheduled to conclude on Thursday, Dec. 16. The complete 2021-22 academic calendar can be found here.

We will remain flexible with these return-to-campus plans based on directives from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department of Education, the Centers for Disease Control and the Forward Together Advisory Committee.

Any updates to the calendar will be promptly shared with the campus community via the website, email and the MySV Portal.

Finally, thank you to each of you for recommitting yourselves to following our Health and Safety Plan and maintaining our Community Commitment. More than a month into the Spring semester, our case count remains low and each day we have greater hope that we are nearing a turning point in this pandemic.

Please continue to be a good neighbor and take care of your physical, mental and spiritual health, as we move forward, together.

God Bless,

Father Paul