It was, in the words of many graduates, a bit surreal. But it was also a moment many could not miss, traveling from as far away as Florida and across the East Coast to take that diploma into their hands and see their classmates again.

“We finally feel we’re going to move on to the bigger and better things,” enthused Brian Whery, who by tradition had accessorized his blue UD graduation gown with the oversized mascot shoes of YoUDee — the same pair he had worn anonymously so many times as a student.

“It’s like closure,” said friend Matt Greene. “But we’re really going to miss this place. UD is special, it’s really special.”

How could it be anything less to these students, who can boast forever of an uncommon resilience and a shared ordeal? UD President Dennis Assanis spoke of the kinship he felt, and the gratitude they all held — it felt like the clouds were lifting, in a sense, for the UD community and for much of the world.

“As I’ve said before, your class holds a special place in my heart, because most of you started at UD at the same time I did in 2016,” he told about 1,000 graduates gathered on the field. “I truly missed the Commencement ceremony last year. And I am so grateful that you made the trip back to UD so we can mark this special moment with the incredible Class of 2020.”

Some had doubted whether that moment would ever come. “We were a little skeptical,” said Peter Fein, who traveled from Miami to get his diploma. “I kind of thought it was going to be a little underwhelming. But this is much more than I thought it would be.”

The graduates were encouraged by Blue Hen alumni to continue their exceptional paths, first by President Joe Biden via a recorded video, then from keynote speaker Ty Jones, now a producer and artistic director of the Classical Theatre of Harlem. Jones and Dan Rich, University Professor of Public Policy and a long-time University administrator, both received honorary degrees at the event.

“Your class is the most consequential in living memory,” Jones told the graduates, recalling how his UD days had been crucial in forming the skeptical, critical viewpoint that is a necessary prerequisite to making an enduring impact. Be aware of the “facts” that you are fed, he said, and keep a prudent sense of humility about what you know — and what you do not.

No matter which path you choose, he said, “use that passion, use that energy, use that emotion” to make the changes you seek. To heal our wounded world, look toward those who came before you, and see how they sometimes worked against the grain, drove “against the traffic,” and ultimately created a world no one could have imagined, he said.