Lessons learned

Posted on May 09, 2023

Undergraduates pose during 2023 Commencement ceremony.

UNC Greensboro prides itself on creating pioneers. Whether that student is the first in their family to go to college, or they go on to transform their community through research, innovation, business, or politics, each of them brings the resolve to create remarkable, real-world impact every day.

But many of the graduates who crossed the stage at Commencement this year were pioneers in a way that no one could prepare them for. Their first year at UNCG was thrown off-course when the COVID-19 pandemic hit full force in spring of 2020.

These students persevered through virtual classes while their instructors were still learning the technology, unprecedented health and safety restrictions, an interruption in the social activities, and a loss of opportunity due to canceled internships and restricted travel.

UNCG News asked some members of the Class of 2023 to share the lessons they took away. Their words speak to the frustration, vulnerability, creativity, and the strength that shone through their experiences.

Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications
Photography by Sean Norona
Additional photography submitted by UNCG students

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