Simpson graduates from the class of 2020 are finally getting a graduation ceremony to commemorate the moment they lost last year because of COVID-19.

Both Addie Brewer and Daniel Goldsmith will be attending the socially-distanced graduation ceremony that is taking place in Buxton Stadium on May 1st. Two separate ceremonies will be held. One at 10 a.m. for both Fall 2020 and Spring 2020 graduates to attend and one at 2 p.m. for Spring 2021 graduates.

“Having an opportunity in some capacity to reconnect with those who were integral to our college experience and in many ways, our lives moving forward, is so important to us [graduates],” Goldsmith said.

Goldsmith was disappointed over COVID-19 causing the end of his senior year to look quite different.

“It was definitely a heartbreaking experience departing so abruptly from the people and the college I held so close,” Goldsmith said. “But when looking at the bigger picture, the impact of the pandemic became a shared human experience, and it put into perspective how fortunate I was for everything in my life, including my time at Simpson.”

Brewer says she is thankful to get to walk and have a graduation ceremony.

“Even though I’ve been done with college for almost a year, walking across the stage will give closure. I graduated in three years, so it will be nice to walk across the stage on the same day as my own class,” Brewer said.

Addie Brewer has been working full time in an Information Technology department since leaving Simpson. Daniel Goldsmith has been attending the University of Iowa College of Dentistry as a dental student in the DDS program.

Both are excited to finally get to have their graduation ceremony with friends and family getting to witness it even if it is a year later.