The coronavirus global pandemic has cancelled a lot — vacations, work, weddings, baby showers and perhaps most importantly for students: graduations. For many high school and college students, walking across the stage isn’t just a celebration, it’s recognition for the tireless effort that they put in over the past four years (or more) to make it to that one moment.
But if there’s any one person that could help ease that pain, it’s Oprah Winfrey. Facebook will celebrate America’s graduating seniors with a live-streaming event next month that will include a commencement address by none other than the TV mogul herself.
And the best part? Winfrey’s bringing her celebrity friends with her. Miley Cyrus will perform along with Lil Nas X. There will also be appearances by Awkwafina, Simone Biles and Jennifer Garner, who are all joining in to address the class of 2020.
While it’s not the same as physically walking across the stage, it’s definitely more star-studded than a traditional graduation ceremony.
“As students head toward graduation, it’s not the day they might have imagined — no processions, no diploma handoffs, no parties,” Marne Levine, Facebook’s VP of global partnerships, business and corporate development, wrote in a blog post announcing the event. “But graduating is a tremendous achievement, and worth pausing to celebrate even in these circumstances.”
#Graduation2020: Facebook and Instagram Celebrate the Class of 2020 will kick off May 15, at 1 p.m. ET. The multi-hour live broadcast will stream on Facebook Watch.