Camosun College offers grads second chance at in-person convocation ceremony

The pandemic stole a lot of life experiences from people, and now Camosun College is trying to give a crucial one back.

The college's campus in Saanich, B.C., is quiet now but soon it will come to life as students gather for the institution's largest convocation in history.

The classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 will toss their caps together after many grads were robbed of the experience due to COVID-19.

Jasey Philip had a virtual convocation ceremony in 2020.

"After hearing about the whole pandemic and it being cancelled, I was super sad," she said.

But now she's one of 1,500 students who will be celebrating at the in-person convocation ceremony at Camosun between June 14 and 16.

Jasey Philip is shown. (CTV News)

"Doing it in person just gives that personal satisfaction," she said.

Philip hopes her parents can fly in from India to celebrate the big day.

"Having that cap, gown, and my degree certificate in my hand is going to make all our dreams into reality," she said.

Alisha Dsouza knows what it feels like to walk across the stage, having had her convocation in 2018 before the pandemic began.

"Just wearing that gown and that cap, it feels like you’ve accomplished something," she said.

"I took so many pictures and published them everywhere."

She says she's happy to hear pandemic scholars are getting that same chance.

"It's really cool to see that they finally get the opportunity to celebrate in that gown."

The massive convocation ceremony is also a long time coming for college staff.

"We’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, some normality and celebration," said Heather Cummings, vice president of student experience at Camosun.

"We’ve not been able to celebrate together for over two years now and that loss has been felt."