This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Manor College held the 69th Commencement ceremony in the parking lot for a drive-in style earlier this month.

While the new, socially distanced format did change the amount of hugs and handshakes that were able to be shared, this shift in modality did not at all take away from the accomplishments of the graduating class.

Danielle Preston, a Philadelphia Market Audit Leader at RSM US LLP and Manor College Board of Trustees member, served as Master of Ceremonies.

“I’m proud to be part of an institution that continues to be innovative while navigating the recent challenges,” said Preston.

Jamal Utqi, Manor’s first-ever Bachelor degree graduate, along with Privish Sadaqat, a top-notch student who immigrated to the United States from Pakistan just two years, addressed the graduates as student speakers.

With the crowd lined up in their cars and tuning into the speeches through an FM radio station, both speakers spoke of how grateful they were for their experiences at Manor College and that their fellow graduates should be so proud for accomplishing so much, especially during a pandemic.

Business Leader and former executive for the Hershey Company, Coca Cola Company and Clinton Administration, Leslie Turner, stressed the significance of always remembering this special occasion as it is one of the most meaningful days in a student’s life.

As the majority of Manor’s students are first-generation, graduating from college is an especially notable achievement.

“Don’t stop here. Keep dreaming; keep defying the odds,” said Turner.

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