Celebration of the Class of 2020 | May 22-24, 2020

by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of Sociology and African-American Studies Cheryl Townsend Gilkes
Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of Sociology and African-American Studies, chosen by students to receive the 2020 Charles Bassett Teaching Award. An ordained minister, Professor Gilkes is an expert on African-American religious history, race, and ethnicity in the United States, black women and social change, Gospel music, and W.E.B. Du Bois, among other subjects. Gilkes has taught at Colby since 1987 and was a close friend of the late professor of American Studies for whom the teaching award is named.
featuring the Condon Medal winner
Student awards honor students from across campus by acknowledging their academic, leadership, and civic achievements.
The Condon Medal, established in 1920 through the generous gift of Randall Judson Condon, Class of 1886, honors the graduating senior who exhibited the finest qualities of citizenship and made the most significant contribution to the development of College life at Colby. By the votes of her or his class and the faculty, the senior chosen as embodying the spirit of loyalty, service, and the full use of her resources would receive a gold medal. In Condon’s words, “Character is the supreme end of education; Citizenship is the expression of it in the community.”
The ceremony is open to the public. Seats are reserved for family and guests of the graduating class and special guests of the College, but others are welcome to observe from outside the seating area. Lawn chairs are permitted. If inclement weather moves the ceremony to an alternative location on campus, tickets are required for admittance, but those without tickets may watch the proceedings in other on-campus venues.
Mayflower Hill Drive will be closed Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as thousands of pedestrians cross between the Colby Green and the academic quadrangle. At the south end, the drive will be closed at the Mary Low parking lot. At the northeast end, Mayflower Hill Drive will be closed at the three-way intersection with Campus Drive and North Street (see campus map). Traffic delays may occur at other times during the weekend, especially from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, as pedestrians cross Mayflower Hill Drive. Accommodations will be made for emergency vehicles. Some on-campus traffic will be permitted when possible.
At 9 p.m. Saturday, Mayflower Hill Drive near the rugby field will close for about 15 minutes for a fireworks display. Runnals Drive will be closed to traffic all day Saturday and Sunday (see campus map).
Beginning at 7 a.m. Sunday, Colby security officers will direct parking. Drivers will be directed to Mary Low, Lunder, Roberts, Athletics, and Facilities lots, and lots will be closed once they are full. Parking on Mayflower Hill Drive is restricted and spaces in Eustis Lot and on Bixler Drive (see campus map) are reserved for those with special permits. (To secure special parking permits call Director of Campus Events Karen Ledger in advance at 207-859-4735.)
Restrooms are available in the Lovejoy Building and in Cotter Union.
The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. and usually lasts until 12:30 p.m. Guests should plan to arrive on campus by 9 a.m.
In inclement weather, the ceremony will take place at an alternative location on campus and live-streamed to overflow seating in other on-campus venues. Each senior will be issued three rain tickets. The decision to move the ceremony will be made very early Sunday and posted at colby.edu and the College’s social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
Baccalaureate is at 10 a.m. Saturday. Seating in Lorimer Chapel is limited, but guests may view the procession and service on large video screens on the lawn in front of the chapel and in the Lovejoy Building.
Graduating seniors are guests of the College for all meals during Commencement weekend. Two special meals are available: a lobster bake Friday evening, for which guests may purchase tickets (meal reservations for Commencement weekend coming soon), and a luncheon Sunday following the commencement ceremony, for which there is no charge for guests.
Families and guests may eat breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday, at Dana dining hall. For Saturday dinner, both Foss and Dana dining halls will be open. Breakfast is $6 per guest, lunch is $8, and dinner is $18. Children five and under are free, ages six to 11 are half-price.
Pre-purchased meal tickets and complimentary Sunday lunch tickets are issued along with commencement tickets. Graduating seniors can collect their tickets from the Campus Events office on the first floor of the Eustis Building during Senior Week. If a student is unable to pick up the tickets, reserved packets will be available at each of the meals during the weekend.
Seniors will be offered four tickets per student on a first-come, first-served basis when they pick up their meal/commencement tickets.
The ball, open to all seniors and their guests, will begin at 9 p.m. Saturday on the Colby Green. A live band will perform until midnight.
Commencement Weekend follows Colby’s campus-wide commitment to sustainability. Here’s what our guests should know:
Waterville is home to 15,000 residents and boasts a downtown district that features a municipal auditorium (the Waterville Opera House), Railroad Square Cinema, one of America’s great independent cinemas (three screens), and many locally owned businesses. Visitors will also find a half-dozen hotels, two hospitals, a multiplex movie theater, and nationally recognized businesses—Starbucks, Home Depot, and others—within city limits.
The College contracts with Lifetouch National School Studios to take photographs of seniors as they receive their diplomas. Please visit events.lifetouch.com and enter your information to be contacted when photos are ready.
Private drones are not allowed on the Colby campus.
All graduating seniors are expected to vacate the residence halls no later than 8 p.m., Sunday, May 24th.
Please contact Karen Ledger, director of campus events, at 207-859-4735 or krledger@colby.edu.