Butler County Community College's 53rd annual commencement May 19 will feature small walk-through ceremonies for groups of graduates.

BC3's Class of 2021 is expected to include 461 graduates receiving associate degrees or certificates, or workplace certificates that take one year or less to complete.

The 45-minute ceremonies will be held on the main campus in Butler Township beginning at 1 p.m. Graduates who register for commencement by April 30 will be notified by email about their designated arrival time.

COVID-19 safety precautions will be in place and enforced. Graduates may bring no more than four guests. Graduates and guests should wear a face covering and maintain 6 feet of physical distance between others.

Graduates who attended BC3's main campus or campuses in Armstrong, Butler, Jefferson, Lawrence or Mercer counties and who have registered for commencement will receive by mail their mortarboard, gown, tassel and name card to bring to the ceremony.

Graduates and guests will be seated separately in an area in front of the Heaton Family Learning Commons, where they can watch video presentations on an outdoor screen before graduates are called to a stage to have their name, degree, program and academic honors announced. Photographs will be taken of graduates on stage.

Videos will feature a welcome by Ramin Hajave, president of BC3's Faculty Organization. Greetings will be provided by Joseph E. Kubit, an attorney and chairman of BC3's board of trustees and Kimberly Geyer, a Butler County commissioner and ex-officio member of the board of trustees.

Videos will also include BC3 presidential scholars, 2021 graduates Olivia Girdwood and Libby Casey giving student addresses, Belinda Richardson, vice president of academic affairs, and Nick Neupauer, BC3 president, presenting the graduates with their associate degrees or certificates.

Girdwood will receive an associate degree from BC3 in Nursing, R.N., and Casey an associate degree in accounting. Both are also members of Rho Phi, BC3's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honor society.

An outdoor reception will include commemorative BC3 gifts at an alumni tent, a photograph booth and refreshments.