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UW hosts first in-person graduation since 2019, largest in school's history

An estimated 50,000 spectators flocked to Seattle to celebrate UW's first in-person commencement ceremony since 2019.

SEATTLE — University of Washington graduates got the chance to flip their tassels in-person on Saturday at what the university is calling its largest ceremony ever.

This is the first time since 2019 UW has held an in-person graduation at Husky Stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I've been looking forward to graduation since the day I got here and there were a ton of ups and downs and didn't know it was going to happen, but it's happening," said Suchi Gopal, who graduated on Saturday.

UW officials said this is the largest ceremony ever with an estimated 50,000 spectators, and about 7,000 graduates. 

"It's one of the great celebrations of the year for the university and it means we've passed through a dark period and are coming into something much brighter,"  UW Associate Professor Joseph Janes said.

The college experiences these grads had these the past few years were unlike any other. 

"They've been crazy, like we started off with freshman year and right into COVID so I did like two years of classes all online,” said Gopal. “But I feel like senior year made up for everything we missed out on in the last two years."

The loved ones and families of these graduates couldn't be prouder of what they've overcome. 

"Great foundation of being here at the university and just to remember all the wonderful times they've had in the past few years in spite of all that has gone on, and to make the world a better place," said Sandra Gan, whose son graduated on Saturday.

On Sunday, alumni from the classes of 2020 and 2021 will return for an in-person celebration. Those commencements were held online during the pandemic. Sunday's ceremonies begin at 3 p.m.

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