As the semester comes to a close, Hunter College’s class of 2024 is preparing for graduation. Applications have been sent in, regalia is being sold at Shakespeare & Co, and photos are being taken in the lobby– all gearing up to the ceremony at Barclays Center on June 4.
About 3,000 students expected to participate in the ceremony, the college said. While most students are eager to get their diploma, in typical Hunter fashion, some students say they are quite frustrated.
Emails have been rolling out about registration for the ceremony and claiming tickets but there’s very little information regarding the details of the day. Some students say that it all feels very disorganized.
For Economics major Kevin Salazar, the inconsistency is making planning for the day very difficult.
“My main complaint is the lack of consistent information and details. I have only been offered three tickets thus far and need at least five for my parents and siblings attendance,” he said.
The limited number of tickets has been a widespread complaint amongst those participating in the ceremony. Similar to Salazar, upcoming graduate Jeanie Granahan is not thrilled.
“It’s annoying that we’re only given three tickets to bring guests, when I know that lots of my friends at other schools don’t have restrictions like that.”
What upset Granahan the most, however, was that she won’t get to walk on stage to get her diploma.
“That’s something I’ve always looked forward to and as a 2020 high school graduate, I didn’t get the chance to then because of Covid,” she said.
College administrators, through the FAQ tab on the graduation website, said they will only acknowledge the students by group to accommodate for the high volume of attendees.
Despite these frustrations, students noted their excitement and said they are looking forward to seeing what’s next.
Granahan said she is headed back to Hunter to complete a Masters degree, while Salazar said he will step into the workforce.
Happy graduation, Class of 2024!
