In accordance with University guidance surrounding COVID-19, the Humphrey School was unable to hold its traditional in-person commencement ceremony in May 2020.
As a community, lifting up our graduates each spring is about more than the conferring of a degree; it is the celebration of a new generation of changemakers ready to make an impact on the world. Each graduate is equipped with skills to advance the common good and carry forward the legacy of our namesake, Hubert H. Humphrey.
While we were not be able to join together in person for commencement, the Humphrey School hosted virtual commencement celebrations May 16 via video.
Six ceremonies—one for each degree program—took place throughout the day. Doctoral candidates were included in the MS–STEP ceremony.
Virtual commencement schedule: May 16
- Noon - Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP)
- 1:30 p.m. - Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
- 3 p.m. - Master of Human Rights (MHR)
- 4 p.m. - Master of Development Practice (MDP)
- 5 p.m. - Master of Science–Science, Technology, Environmental Policy (MS–STEP) and Doctoral candidates
- 6 p.m. - Master of Public Policy (MPP)
Each ceremony included:
- Welcome and remarks by Dean Laura Bloomberg
- Remarks from keynote speaker, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar
- Alumni message from St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (MPP '11)
- Awards presentation by Associate Dean Carissa Slotterback
- Celebratory video montage featuring students, faculty, and alumni
- Presentation of degrees by the program’s faculty director of graduate studies