VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - Graduation will be a bit different this year for Valdosta State's 221st commencement.
For the first time, more than 1,500 students will celebrate their graduation at the football stadium Saturday night.
For the first time in recent memory, all of the ceremonies are on one day. In years past, the events were split up across two days.
WTXL was on campus in January when some students started a petition to change commencement back to the way it was after complaints of inconvenience, but the university kept this year's format as is.
WTXL is revisiting the campus, speaking to students about how this year's difference affects them.
"If they're going to call everybody's name, that could be like a simple program which is usually an hour or an hour and a half," says Deandrea Freeman, a graduating senior. "It's now going to be maybe potentially three hours long, and a lot of people can't sit that long. I can't even sit that long."
Graduating senior Brianna McCarthy adds, "I would say it's bittersweet. I see the intentions that the former president had to try to alleviate the pressures of not having so much relatives not being able to have seats in our facility, but it was a little bit disappointing. People are used to what we've been having."
Saturday's ceremonies start at 9 a.m. and wrap up with the university-wide event, starting at 7:30 p.m.
