Add as a preferred source on Google


Seniors Invited to Participate in Minecraft Graduation Ceremony

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 04/02/20

Some students are hitting Minecraft during their "self-quarantines" to recreate their campuses. And at least one group is planning a national graduation ceremony to take place in their virtual world.

Minecraft, introduced by Mojang and acquired by Microsoft in 2014, is an online world that allows players to explore and play in the game or to build their own experiences and realms using digital blocks. According to reporting by the Boston Globe, students at Berklee College of Music, Boston University and Emerson College are using Minecraft to socialize while their physical campuses are closed to them.

Students are building their campuses "block-by-block," using the game's "creative" mode. They're relying on Google Maps street views, satellite images and photographs to "piece together" the exteriors of buildings and using photographs and their own memories to recreate the interiors.

Now there's a national effort afoot to set up a virtual world in Minecraft for both high school and college graduating seniors all over the country. Quaranteen Commencement 2020, hosted by Quaranteen University, is scheduled to take place in Minecraft on May 22.

The project was kicked off by two BU students who "were bored." As they noted on their website, "Being quarantined in a dorm for a week makes you crazy."

According to the organizers, "Once enough people express interest, we'll select graduation times for everyone .... You'll connect to the world, get dressed into robes dyed in your school's color, have your name called, and walk up to receive your diploma in front of everyone." That ceremony will be live-streamed on twitch.tv. Parents and friends will be invited to take seats in the audience.

As of April 2, 2020, the "QU Class of 2020" had 827 graduates signed on to participate from 291 schools.

Participation is free, though people who want to join in on building the commencement area will need to install a free trial or paid version of Minecraft (Java edition).

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Hand holding a stylus over a tablet with futuristic risk management icons

    Why Universities Are Ransomware's Easy Target: Lessons from the 23% Surge

    Academic environments face heightened risk because their collaboration-driven environments are inherently open, making them more susceptible to attack, while the high-value research data they hold makes them an especially attractive target. The question is not if this data will be targeted, but whether universities can defend it swiftly enough against increasingly AI-powered threats.

  • hand typing on laptop with security and email icons

    Copilot Gets Expanded Role in Office, Outlook, and Security

    Microsoft has doubled down on its Copilot strategy, announcing new agents and capabilities that bring deeper intelligence and automation to everyday workflows in Microsoft 365.

  • Graduation cap resting on electronic circuit board

    Preparing Workplace-Ready Graduates in the Age of AI

    Artificial intelligence is transforming workplaces and emerging as an essential tool for employees across industries. The dilemma: Universities must ensure graduates are prepared to use AI in their daily lives without diluting the interpersonal, problem-solving, and decision-making skills that businesses rely on.

  • business man using smart phone in office

    Microsoft Copilot Adds Voice Commands, Teams Collaboration, Local Data Processing

    Microsoft has introduced new features within its Microsoft 365 Copilot offering, aimed at making further foothold in the enterprise, including voice-based interaction, group collaboration tools, and an expansion of in-country data processing.