IMG Academy Holds Virtual Graduation to Celebrate the Class of 2020

IMG Academy's 2020 Commencement Ceremony took place in a much different format than prior years. Although families, friends, teachers, and staff were still "present" this year, the celebration took place online through Endeavor's On Location Live platform.

Although mid-March prior to spring break may have been their last moments on campus, IMG's 274 graduating seniors were honored in various ways throughout the final weeks of the 2019-2020 academic year. Culminating with Graduation on June 5, 2020, IMG Academy celebrated the academic accomplishments, athletic achievements, honorable accolades, and more through a ceremony that, although distant, felt even more connected than ever.

Among this year's graduating class, 49 countries were represented, making this one of the most diverse groups of seniors yet. Other notable statistics amongst this impressive group include:

151 Division I commitments
5 Ivy League commitments
3 student-athletes committed to a Service Academy
61 Ascender Scholars (IMG student-athlete for 4+ years)
35 graduating with High Honors
45 graduating with Honors
54 National Honor Society Student Representatives
12 AP Scholars

Prior to the ceremony, a student-athlete from each country within IMG's graduating class was asked to send in a clip to welcome viewers to the ceremony, and these clips were incorporated into the opening segment of the evening. Seniors and those in attendance heard speeches and notes from Chris Locke, Lori Gubernat, Heather VonSeggern, Charles Gooch, Salutatorian Erich A. Miller, Valedictorian Zihao Yuan, senior reflections from Aly Hutchinson and Rachel "Lyna" Schaffer, a senior reflection video from Chandler McGruder, presentations of the Scholastic Cup Award and George Garnett Spirit Award, and even live check-ins to various IMG family households around the world. The ceremony concluded with special clips of seniors "giving" a special rose pin to those who impacted them the most, others remembering their favorite moments on campus and thanking their parents, teachers, and peers, as well as other heart-felt messages and soundbites.

Although celebrations could not take place on campus this spring, IMG Academy ensured that each student-athlete was able to celebrate from home upon receipt of a personalized graduation box, inclusive of a formal graduation invitation, custom-branded cap and gown, NHS sashes (if applicable), Honors and High Honor cords (if applicable), rose tradition pins, and an IMG Academy customized family conversation game.

This year's graduating class triumphed through unprecedented moments in 2020, but the IMG Academy community could not be more proud of this inspiring group of individuals. If you could not watch graduation live, check out the full video below of our 2020 Commencement Ceremony.

THE CLASS OF 2020 committed to the following academically and athletically prestigious universities:

Arizona State University
Ashland University
Auburn University
Barry University
Bentley University
Bond University in Australia
Boston College
Brigham Young University
Bucknell University
Cabrillo College
Cedarville University
Centre College
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
Coker College
Colgate University
College of Charleston
College of the Sequoias
Columbia University
Columbus State University
Dartmouth College
Davenport University
Duke University
Eastern Connecticut State University
Eastern Florida State College
Eastern University
Elmira College
Emory University
Flagler College
Florida A&M University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Southern College
Florida State University
Franklin & Marshall College
Fresno State University
George Mason University
Grand Canyon University
Grand Valley State University
Gulf Coast State
Haverford College
Hawaii Pacific University
High Point University
Hillsborough Community College
Hofstra University
Howard University
Indiana University
Iowa University
Jacksonville University
James Madison University
Kean University
Kennesaw State University
Lehigh University
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Lincoln Memorial University
Long Island University
Louisiana State University
Loyola University Maryland
Loyola University New Orleans
Lynn University
Macalester College (MN)
Middlebury College
Millikin University
Millsaps College
Missouri State University
Mount St. Mary's University
Muhlenberg College
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New York University
Nichols College
North Park University
Northern Arizona University
Northwestern University
Orange Coast College
Otterbein University
Pepperdine University
Presbyterian College
Purdue University
Randolph-Macon College
Rider University
Rollins College
Sacred Heart University
Saint Vincent College
Salve Regina University
Samford University

San Jacinto Community College
Santa Clara University
Siena College
Sonoma State University
Southeastern Louisiana University
Southern Methodist University
Springfield College
St Thomas in Miami
St Thomas University
Stanford University
State College of Florida
Temple University
Texas Christian University
The Ohio State University
The Savannah College of Art and Design
The University Of Alabama
The University of Nebraska
Trinity University
Tulane University
Union College
United States Military Academy at West Point
Univel Cascavel
University at Albany
University of Alabama
University of Arizona
University of Arkansas
University of California, Irvine
University of Central Florida
University of Connecticut
University of Exeter
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Houston
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Kansas
University of Kentucky
University of Louisiana Lafayette
University of Louisville
University of Maryland
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of Mississippi
University of Montana
University of Montevallo
University of North Carolina
University of Northern Colorado
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Ottawa
University of Pennsylvania
University of Redlands
University of Rochester
University of San Diego
University of South Florida
University of Southern California
University of Tampa
University of Tennessee
University of Texas at Permian Basin
University of the Pacific
University of Virginia
University of Washington
University of Towson
US Naval Academy
Vassar College
Virginia Military Institute
Wabash Valley Community College
Wagner College
Wake Forest University
Washington College
Washington State University
West Virginia University
Western University
Whittier College
William & Mary
Winthrop University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute