Mat-Su College holding first in-person graduation since the start of the pandemic

PALMER — The Mat-Su College is hosting its first in-person graduation since the pandemic started.

“It’s very exciting. It’s like coming out of a cave after two years,” MSC Director Talis Colberg said.

Colberg said the graduating class is smaller than usual, but the return to a live celebration for all the student’s hard work will make for a particularly memorable experience.

“This allows friends and family to come celebrate the moment,” Colberg said. “It’s spring. It’s a time to feel optimistic.”

The fall semester will feature mostly in-person classes, according to Colberg. He said that most of the student clubs and activities will be up and running again. He said the return to a more socially connected student experience will reinvigorate the overall campus vibrancy.

“All those things come together to make a quality experience for people,” Colberg said. “It’s not just what you learn in college, it’s also who you meet.”

The Glenn Massay Theater recently returned to full capacity with no restrictions. The college library was also recently reopened to the public. Colberg said it’s encouraging to see these campus assets that benefit both student life and the greater community come back to life.

“It’s part of the function of the university to act as a town square, to provide opportunities not only to students but to everyone, to meet each other and engage in things that are enlightening and entertaining,” Colberg said.

The 2022 Mat-Su College graduation takes place May 6. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. and the ceremony begins at 7:30 p.m.

Alex Hills, a longtime Alaskan who led the team that created the first Wi-Fi network, will be the 2022 commencement speaker.

For more information, visit matsu.alaska.edu.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com