Ball State University will hold a mid-October commencement ceremony to honor graduates who completed degree requirements during the coronavirus pandemic.

President Geoffrey Mearns says a survey of the university community showed an overwhelming desire to hold an in-person ceremony, rather than virtual.

“What we’ve heard from our students in the emails I’ve received, as well as the comments they were able to give in the survey, is our students and their families, graduating students want to have an opportunity to walk across the stage.”

Mearns says he had hoped for a mid-July date.  But in a Friday email, he says it wasn’t “feasible” to properly social distance during an indoor ceremony then, and the weather outside in July would be “too uncomfortable” for an outdoor event.

An October 10 event will honor spring and summer graduates.

Meanwhile, Ball State says it is mailing degrees to graduates when they complete requirements, not waiting for a ceremony.