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MIT’s first online Commencement, as seen through social media

Though the MIT community was spread around the world due to Covid-19, graduates and their families celebrated magic moments through social posts.
Image: Jose-Luis Olivares/MIT

MIT’s first online Commencement ceremony provided both unique and familiar experiences for graduates of the Class of 2020. Graduates heard from an array of speakers, experienced beautiful music, and flipped their Brass Rats.

But this year more than ever, the celebration that ensued on social media through #MIT2020 provided a glimpse of how our graduates experienced this unique culmination of study at MIT. While students, faculty, staff, families, and friends who tuned in were physically distant on May 29, this year’s Commencement provided the community with a series of moments that will be remembered forever.

Graduates celebrated with their families.

While graduates did not “walk,” they commemorated the receipt of their diplomas.

Thank you MIT for making me a better person! #mit2020

A post shared by Naiviv Chen (@milky_the_wishful) on

The creativity did not stop because the ceremony was online.

Grads dressed up, because they earned that regalia.

There was cake.

And grads brought a strong balloon game.

So very proud of our graduate #1520 #emba #MIT2020 @MITPics

A post shared by Amber Colatosti (@ambernichole.xo) on

At least one family celebrated not one but two graduates.

Most parents attend their children’s college graduation as spectators, but Dr. Michael Solomon attended his son Samuel Solomon’s commencement as both a parent and a graduating student himself. During yesterday's MIT commencement, Dr. Michael Solomon graduated from the MIT Executive MBA Program, while Samuel graduated from MIT’s Undergraduate Program. “I came to MIT for its unique combination of liberal arts and sciences. It provided an opportunity to explore all of the disciplines of science, which is important to me because my long-term goal is to pursue a career in aerospace and space medicine,” Samuel said. Seeing his son flourish at MIT, Michael decided to pursue his MBA in the MIT EMBA Program. “I had visited a lot of colleges for my three children and MIT stood out to me as a special place. It is an amazing community. Many parents have a desire for their children to attend their alma mater, but we flipped the script when I came to MIT,” he said. @mitpics @mit_emba #MIT2020 #MyMITSloan

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Congratulations, Class of 2020!

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