Message from the President: Commencement for May 2020 Graduates

April 29, 2021

Dear May 2020 graduates, loved ones, faculty and staff,

Our goal has never wavered--to host an in-person commencement and celebration for May 2020 graduates that you deserve. I appreciate your patience with this process. I write today to say that we now believe that we can plan it with confidence that it will happen.

I also want to thank you for your overwhelming response to the survey we sent to determine what you believe to be the best weekend to host commencement for the class of 2020. Based on the survey responses, an overwhelming majority of graduates asked that SLU host Commencement and Celebration Weekend from Friday, Aug. 6 to Sunday, Aug. 8.

We are eager to make this a weekend to remember. Commencement for your class will be Saturday, Aug. 7. In addition, schools, colleges and departments across the University are planning activities for you. In the coming weeks you will receive more information about those activities, the commencement event itself, number of guests you may bring, and other key details. Our teams are hard at work on these important details.

We are excited to welcome you back on campus. The last time many of you were here was at the very beginning of the unprecedented disruption of all of our lives. Your time ended abruptly, with little fanfare, substantial uncertainty, and some degree of fear for yourself and your loved ones

Honoring you is important to all of us, as is recognizing the work and dedication you exemplified during your time at SLU. We hope to see you the weekend of Aug. 6 as we come together as OneSLU with the sole purpose of celebrating you!

Until then, God bless you, your loved ones, and Saint Louis University.

Fred Pestello, Ph.D.
University President