On June 25, George Brown College (GBC) will celebrate its second-ever virtual convocation ceremony for graduating students. Although students may never have hoped for a virtual ceremony, the convocation team hopes that this year’s convocation creates a more interactive and memorable experience. 

These interactive elements were rehearsed on May 25, 2021 at GBC’s Waterfront campus. While recording and rehearsing some portions of the Convocation ceremony, GBC VP of strategy and innovation, Rick Huijbregts, assures that all COVID-19 public health measures were followed. 

“We have learned a lot since our October 2020 virtual convocation, and have been planning this for several months,” said Huijbregts. 

The planning of the ceremony started in January 2021, right when the new year kicked off. The convocation team was unsure if the ceremony would occur online. However, as circumstances changed when COVID-19 cases in Toronto started to increase, the team had to pivot their strategy. 

“The truth is we wanted it [the convocation] to be live,” said Huijbregts. “We knew it wouldn’t be the same, so we tried to wait as long as possible before making a decision, until it became clear again.” 

When it was clear that the ceremony had to occur online, the convocation team decided to find a method to build a community virtually. For example, they decided to add Zoom parties, convocation playlists, and a fun photo booth to mimic the live convocation as much as possible. Graduation boxes are also sent out in advance for students who want to participate in the ceremony. 

“Interaction with the audience will be a record staple of the Convocation experience,” said Huijbregts. “Although the event is pre-recorded, we still have some exciting interactive elements.” 

Other measures within the planning aspect were taken into consideration as well. For example, an important component was accessibility, such as students who are hard of hearing. As a result, different departments were consulted for the event.

“The whole idea of it being highly inclusive is being considered throughout everything we will do,” said Huijbregts. “We have worked with numerous stakeholders and vendors.” 

Additionally, other staff in the student success division participated in planning the ceremony. According to Huijbregts, planning for the online convocation was a unique and collaborative process, despite the turn of events. 

“It is always challenging, especially in a live setting, particularly an opportunity where we can reimagine and rethink and create innovative processes and tools to create memorable experiences,” said Huijbregts.