Outdoor Graduation

Members of the Class of 1972 were the last Jackrabbits to receive their diplomas under the open skies. For the last 49 years, commencement has been held in Frost Arena, which opened in February 1973.

Thanks to COVID-19 and some very determined SDSU administrators, the Class of 2021 brought back the outdoor ceremony. As far back as October, SDSU administration made a commitment to hold an in-person ceremony. In May 2020, the state was early in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, so graduation was held virtually.

While the effort was appreciated, no one wanted to see it repeated.

Brooklin Vander Wal, a 2021 business economics graduate, said, “I was very grateful for the opportunity to have an in-person ceremony this year to celebrate with my classmates, family and friends as well as those at SDSU who made it possible. I am very thankful for all of the hard work of the SDSU graduation team and all others involved that ensured we were able to have an in-person ceremony.”

Graduation was planned for May 8-9 at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium to allow the largest number of guests while maintaining social distancing.

Gridiron wins create graduation monkey wrench

Planning for that location—with four ceremonies to reduce crowd size—was largely in place when another side effect of COVID-19 altered plans. SDSU plays in the Football Championship Subdivision, which moved its games to spring. The regular season concluded April 17, and it was announced the following day that State had the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

That potentially created a good problem to have.

If the Jackrabbits claimed wins in the first and quarterfinal rounds, the team would host the semifinal matchup. Jamison Lamp ’12, SDSU events coordinator, and others on the graduation team began planning for an alternative site. College Green, the area east of the South Dakota Art Museum, was selected.

Previous outdoor graduations had been held in Coolidge Sylvan Theatre, but the area is too small to accommodate today’s graduation classes.

Coach John Stiegelmeier’s troops held form in the opening two games at Dykhouse. The team was set to host, for the first time, a semifinal football playoff game. The televised contest would be at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 8. Graduation ceremonies were set for 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. May 8-9. In response, all ceremonies were moved to College Green.

A week of logistical challenges

It made for a hectic week for Tony Filholm, SDSU building maintenance supervisor, and his crews as well as many private vendors who brought in equipment.

But all was in place Friday evening for sound checks and a partial dress rehearsal.

Graduation speaker Brianna Vig ’19/M.S. ’21, of Brookings, a master’s degree graduate in sports administration, said, “I’m so appreciative of the committee that worked so hard to make sure we were able to be outside. I’m glad all four of the ceremonies were able to be outside. 

“I know some students from 2020 who came back and walked. That speaks to the committee making that possible for them.”

And in case it rains 

Of course, holding any outdoor event in South Dakota in early May is a roll of the dice. So an alternative site was set up at Frost Arena.

Filholm said, “We basically spent the first 2 1/2 days of the week setting up Frost Arena and most of the remaining time working on the College Green. Thursday morning was the big kickoff for us setting chairs and laying things out. Once we had the go code for the second ceremony on Sunday, the team went over and tore down the setup in Frost. 

“Even though it appeared that we had the green space all taken down Monday, it took until early Wednesday morning to get everything back to where it should be.”

The setup involved 3,000 white rental chairs for the graduates’ guests (each graduate was permitted six guests), 460 chairs for the graduates and 24 padded chairs for the stage party. 

Filholm said, “The 3,000 chairs were lined up through the local merchant Rental Depot as were the two telehandlers that supported the video screens. The Rental Depot arranged chairs from four different rental facilities to get us the matching 3,000. These chairs were set up by a multitude of Facilities and Services staff, including grounds, electricians, plumbers, painters, carpenters, project managers and administrators. 

“An in-house employee did all the layout work to insure COVID social distancing was followed—a real team effort.”

Aided by ‘some really great vendors’

Lamp noted on Wednesday afternoon (May 5) when crews were placing decking for the stage and telehandlers, “it was pouring rain. It felt like a bad omen.”

Also on Wednesday, the truss structure for the stage was erected with the rest of the stage put in place Thursday. A long row of portable toilets, which were north of Pugsley Hall, arrived Friday as well as the Daktronics video boards. Portable generators, which were surprisingly quiet, provided power for the sound and video boards as well as for the canopy on the stage roof.

While there were myriad things that could have gone wrong, Lamp was happy with how the week progressed.

“The sound company (DMM Sound of Hartford) has done our graduation in the past. I have a lot of trust in them. Sideline Productions of Brookings brought in the Daktronics boards. We worked with some really great vendors who knew the importance of the event,” said Lamp, who noted that vendors alone put in more than 500 hours.

Filholm said he had a crew of four doing setup and take down at Frost Arena with another 15-plus working at the College Green.

“All in all, things went pretty well,” Filholm summarized. “I view it as a major team-building exercise that strengthens the team and our communications.”

Lamp adds, “I was very happy with how everything came together. The weather could have been a touch more favorable. But that Sunday morning when the sun was out on the green, it was a really cool environment. The College Green was a big part of these graduates’ lives with College GameDay being held there in 2019. I hope they can reflect on that in the future and what a cool event it was.”

Dark clouds don’t overshadow

Saturday morning, the skies threatened, the mercury held in the 40s and the wind was blowing 20 mph to create a 30-degree wind chill.

Lamp said, “We had released a weather statement that we were going to be outside. It was going to take a pretty substantial rain (to move us inside). A change in location would be posted three hours before the ceremony. Both Saturday ceremonies came down to the wire at that three-hour mark. The sky was a lot of different colors on the College Green.”

Moving to Frost would have reduced the number of permitted guests, but the stage canopy could not withstand a 30 to 40 mph wind, Lamp said.

Of course, mortar boards can tolerate even less wind. Lamp notes, “There were a lot of bobby pins used that day. Some were more effective than others.”

But at the end of the day, Vander Wal said, “I thought having commencement on the College Green was very special as it is a beautiful area of campus that holds so much history. Being surrounded by the Coughlin Campanile and the many buildings that border the College Green reminded me of how grateful I am to forever be a Jackrabbit.”

– Dave Graves