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Congratulations Class of 2020!

Lackawanna College graduates completed their programs during one of the most unprecedented times in our nation. The last months of their semester were radically changed as campus closed and classes transitioned online. Due to COVID-19, students missed out on the excitement and pomp and circumstance of an in-person graduation and full recognition of their amazing achievements.

As a college community, we couldn’t be more proud of our students. They have persevered and succeeded through extraordinary circumstances. Lackawanna College is honored to award 430 bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees and certificates to the class of 2020. Graduates included the College’s first associate degrees in Baking & Pastry and Occupational Therapy Assistant and bachelor’s degrees in Accounting, Restaurant & Foodservice Management, and Nursing. Additionally, seven regional students completed their associate degrees that were enrolled in our Level Up program while still in high school.

Though we could not hold our traditional May commencement, we have tentatively rescheduled the graduation ceremony for Friday, October 2. Details about the ceremony will be released once they are finalized.

Employers and the Class of COVID-19

The Class of 2020 has been coined by many as the “Class of COVID-19” as these graduates have experienced a year like no other. On the surface, the outlook for 2020 grads looks bleak. Not only did graduates miss out on having a customary end of the year, but they will be entering an entirely different world than the one they knew only months before.

A once stable economy is now a recession, unemployment numbers have grown and many businesses have gone remote – with some planning to stay that way. Through all of these challenges, there is one certainty, the Class of COVID-19 is united, adaptable and eager to start their careers.

Now, more than ever, businesses will need a workforce that can navigate the “new normal”, and the Class of 2020 is a perfect fit. If anything, these graduates have shown through their hard work and dedication a propensity to adjust quickly, solve problems and ultimately succeed in the most challenging of times.

The pandemic will change the way business is done forever, and the workforce that you hire will determine if you lead the way or fall behind in your industry. Our graduates are prepared with the knowledge and essential virtual tools to help pave the way for businesses, big and small, to survive and thrive in these rapidly changing times.

Will your business be seeking out Class of 2020 graduates to enter your workforce? How is your business adapting to the changing times? What programs can Lackawanna College offer to help future graduates entering the workforce?