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University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) held its first in-person graduation ceremonies since 2019 during an event called “Spring Grad Walk 2022,” an innovative experience designed to accommodate thousands of graduates and guests while protecting the health and safety of the university community.

A UMGC news release said one of those graduates was Stephanie Mae Patterson, of Franklin, who received her master of science degree in management.

More than 3,300 graduates from the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 and their families and guests attended “Grad Walk” over the course of six days (May 17-22). The event took place at the College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Hyattsville, Maryland, with graduates selecting from multiple time slots to cross the stage and receive individual recognition.

Worldwide, more than 13,600 graduates from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 32 countries and territories, earned UMGC degrees during the 2021-22 academic year. UMGC also holds graduation ceremonies in Europe and Asia for military service members and their families serving overseas. 

Celebrating its 75th anniversary, UMGC was established in 1947 to serve adults in the workforce. Today, UMGC enrolls some 90,000 students annually, offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs, as well as certificates in more than 125 fully online, hybrid and face-to-face programs and specializations. 

UMGC now offers classes to military service personnel and their families at more than 180 locations in more than 20 countries. More than half of the university’s students are active-duty military personnel, their families, members of the National Guard and veterans.