This fall, 1,895 University of Iowa undergraduate, graduate, and professional students will graduate under extraordinary circumstances. With the coronavirus pandemic upending traditional educational practices across campus and the country—including commencement ceremonies—2020 has proven to be a challenging year.

Since March, students have made sacrifices to maintain health and safety. Instruction for a majority of courses moved online, face masks and hand sanitizer became the norm, internships and study abroad programs were largely suspended, stages remained dark. In fact, most events were held virtually or removed from the calendar. Even the Homecoming parade was dubbed the “Stay-at-Homecoming” parade.

Through it all, however, Hawkeyes persisted.

They gained invaluable communication skills by accessing Iowa’s unmatched writing-related resources and made positive contributions to the community and state by focusing on teamwork and collaboration. Now their hard work has paid off as graduates land prestigious academic placements and notable jobs at SpaceX and pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co., Inc.

Coming together for the greater good—that’s the Hawkeye Way. As 2020 comes to a close, we can count on one thing: With this cohort of new graduates comes a new dawn. As Hawkeyes enter the next stage of their lives, they leave campus full of potential and promise.

If you or a loved one is graduating this fall, find ceremony information at the UI Commencement website.

Because the final number of graduates will not be available until just before ceremonies begin, these statistics pertain to degree applicants.