The Peninsula College commencement ceremony for 2020 has been postponed from June 20 to Aug. 22.

“Commencement is one of the most cherished moments in the lives of students and their loved ones,” President Luke Robins said in an email to students Tuesday.

“But protecting your health, and the health of our community, remains Peninsula College’s top priority in all of our decisions during this challenging time.”

Student feedback was also key in this decision. Two-thirds of graduating sophomores said in a survey that they preferred waiting until August for an in-person ceremony over attending a virtual ceremony in June.

Peninsula College moved to online learning for spring quarter, which started April 13 — a week later than originally scheduled. The condensed quarter ends on June 19.

The graduating class of 2020 will include almost 400 students.

Commencement apparel will be ordered for graduates regardless of whether or not they walk in person. Students who have applied for graduation will receive notification later this spring about how the 2020 graduation apparel will be distributed.

“Participating in commencement is one of the favorite parts of my job, and I’m hopeful we can gather to celebrate this joyous occasion in August,” Robins said.

For more information and updates as they become available, visit pencol.edu/commencement.