by MEGAN DREHER & AUGUST KISSEL, Features Editor & Web Editor
The Class of 2019 has recently learned that they will only be receiving two tickets for loved ones to join them in celebrating their Undergraduate Commencement on May 17, 2019 in Draddy Gymnasium.
An announcement was posted on Manhattan’s website under the tab “Undergraduate Events” stating that two tickets to Draddy will be available for pick up as soon as April 16.
In recent years, Manhattan College’s Commencement ceremony has taken place in Draddy Gymnasium. This upcoming class, the Class of 2019, is the largest class that Manhattan College has ever accepted. Due to the large class size, Manhattan College has limited the number of tickets available to each student for Commencement. Every student will receive two tickets for Draddy Gymnasium and two tickets for a viewing party in Kelly Commons.
“In order to accommodate all of the graduating seniors, along with the capacity of Draddy, it translated into two tickets allowed in the gym for students from an occupancy standpoint,” said John Bennett, director of Student Engagement.
Other locations to hold commencement were discussed, but did not come to fruition.
“In previous years, students received at least three tickets in Draddy, and then they would get two more for Kelly, if not more than that. I know for me personally, I want my family to come, I have more then one set of parents and I would like more tickets so that they can all come to see me graduate. I also have family from out of state coming to see me graduate. Having only two tickets really puts me in a bad position for the family that is already coming,” said senior Melissa Gallardo.
Many students of the senior class share Gallardo’s sentiment.
“They have known that we are a bigger class since freshman year so they have had plenty of time to figure something out. I really hope it will be addressed before graduation because we pay a lot of money for tuition every year and I know parents are not happy about this and the school won’t want to deal with it,” said senior Amanda Alfredson.
There have been few announcements to the senior class regarding the ceremony, and the news regarding the Commencement ceremony is being spread through the word of mouth amongst the senior class.
“[MC hasn’t] announced anything to us. They haven’t said anything about graduation at all. I have just heard from other students that there is only going to be two sets of tickets for each location, and I don’t know where the other family is supposed to go,” said Gallardo.
As a result of the news, students are starting to express their disappointment and stress to the Commencement Committee. They have started to do so through emails and handwritten messages.
“I believe the senior class is all writing emails explaining our feelings about this as well as student government trying to find alternatives to the current situation,” said Alfredson.
The class is hoping that MC will find an alternative graduation location before the ceremony in May, as well as in the future so that later classes also have enough space for their guests.