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N.C. State Plans In-Person Commencement, Prepares For 'Normal' Fall Semester

Wearing face coverings, the Wolfpack mascots appear on a poster in the Talley Student Union at North Carolina State University. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

N.C. State University is the latest college to plan outdoor in-person graduation ceremonies this spring. It joins Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill in announcing in-person commencement events.  

N.C. State will host two outdoor graduation ceremonies in May at Carter-Finley Stadium, open to family and friends.

The News & Observer reports the Raleigh school also told students and faculty they can expect “normal” campus operations in the fall, which will include full dorm occupancy and in-person classes.

School officials have not yet finalized guidelines for the fall semester but say they will follow state and local recommendations. 

UNC-Chapel Hill will also hold an in-person graduation ceremony at Kenan Stadium. Virtual speeches will be delivered by Dr. Anthony Fauci and alumna Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, who has been at the forefront of vaccine development.

Duke University was the first school in the Triangle to announce an in-person commencement. But the school has hit a rocky patch with a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases being attributed to fraternity parties and events. Duke officials have warned of curfews or in-person class cancellations if those numbers continue to worsen.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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