NEW TONIGHT, MORE THAN 5000 STUDENTS WERE NOT ABLE TO GO ON STAGE AND ACCEPT THEIR DEGREE AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY. BEAU BOWMAN SHOWS US WHAT THEY DID INSTEAD. >> I AM VERY PLEASED TO WELCOME YOU TO IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY’S SPRING 2020 VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY. BEAU: WHEN THE CLASS OF 20 21ST CHOSE THEIR ADVENTURE AT IOWA STATE, NO ONE COULD HAVE DREAMED IT WOULD END LIKE THIS WITH A VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. SENIORS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE GRADUATION BY WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE. BUT THE UNIVERSITY STILL WANTED THEM TO FEEL A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. >> YOU DO NOT LET AN ACHIEVEMENT LIKE EARNING A COLLEGE DEGREE GO UNRECOGNIZED. BEAU: THE ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF ENROLLMENT SAYS IT WAS A TOUGH DECISION NOT TO HOLD COMMENCEMENT IN PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN IOWA STATE’S 162 YEAR HISTORY. >> WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE, WE WERE READY TO GO VIRTUAL SO THAT WE COULD STILL HONOR OUR CLASS OF 2020. ♪ BEAU: MANY OF THE LONG-STANDING TRADITIONS WERE KEPT INTACT, INCLUDING SIMON ESTES SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, THE HONORING OF STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED WITH DISTINCTION, AND THE BELLS. EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE THE ADVENTURE 5000 GRADUATING SENIORS CHOSE WELL GOING TO IOWA STATE, IT IS AN ADVENTURE NONETHELESS. >> TODAY, YOU ARE A IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE ANTICYCLONE. YOU ARE THE HISTORIC CLASS OF 2020. BEAU: BEAU BOWMAN, KCCI 8, IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. MAX: WELL DONE. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GRADUATE