Wet weather could threaten University of Cincinnati graduation ceremonies (2025)

BREAKDOWN OF THE EVENING FORECAST. WELL, THE WET WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED TO LET UP FOR A WHILE, AND THAT’S RAISING A LOT OF CONCERN FOR PARENTS OF UC GRADUATES. UC STUDENTS WHO ARE GRADUATING FRIDAY. SO THE CEREMONY IS SUPPOSED TO BE OUTSIDE THERE AT NIPPERT STADIUM. BUT IF IT HAS TO MOVE INSIDE, FAMILIES WON’T BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR LOVED ONES GET THEIR DIPLOMA IN PERSON. AND WLWT NEWS FIVE’S RACHEL WHELAN LIVE TONIGHT WITH UC’S BACKUP PLAN AND HOW STUDENTS ARE FEELING ABOUT ALL OF THIS. RACHEL. HEY, GUYS, CREWS ARE ALREADY OUT HERE SETTING UP FOR FRIDAY’S CEREMONIES, AND IT’S STILL TOO EARLY TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT YOU’RE PROBABLY GOING TO WANT TO PACK YOUR PONCHO BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE STUCK SITTING OUT HERE IN THE RAIN. AND THAT’S NOT EVEN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO. IT’S A CHEERFUL TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI AS SENIORS CAPTURE THEIR LAST FEW MEMORIES ON CAMPUS. WE’RE TAKING OUR SENIOR GRAD PICS TOGETHER. IT’S REALLY FUN. YEAH, BUT THOSE SMILES COULD QUICKLY FADE IF SEVERE WEATHER STRIKES ON THEIR BIG DAY. GRADUATION WOULD BE MOVED INSIDE WITHOUT THEIR FAMILIES TO WATCH IN PERSON. THEN MY FAMILY WON’T BE ABLE TO SEE ME WALK ACROSS THE STAGE, WHICH WOULD BE THE SECOND TIME I’LL BE GRADUATING AND MY FAMILY WON’T GET TO SEE ME WALK ACROSS THE STAGE. ANNA CHOI, LIKE MANY FROM THE CLASS OF 2025, DIDN’T GET A PROPER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION THANKS TO THE COVID PANDEMIC. IT WAS PRETTY WEIRD. WE HELD GRADUATION OUTSIDE AND EVERYONE, EVERY FAMILY WAS IN THEIR CAR AND WE TUNED IN TO THE RADIO AND THEY DID LIKE A LITTLE GRADUATION SPEECH ON THE RADIO. ACCORDING TO UC’S GRADUATION PLAN, RIGHT NOW, IF THERE IS LIGHTNING, STUDENTS WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE CAMPUS RECREATION CENTER, WHERE THEY WILL HEAR THEIR NAMES, GET CALLED, AND WALK ACROSS THE STAGE. BUT ONLY GRADUATES WILL BE ALLOWED INSIDE THE BUILDING. FAMILY MEMBERS WILL HAVE TO WATCH IT VIA LIVE STREAM. I HAVE FAMILY COMING IN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, SO I’M HOPING THAT IT DOESN’T, BUT AT LEAST I’D STILL GET TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE. RAIN WON’T STOP THE CEREMONY FROM HAPPENING AT NIPPERT, SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A RAIN JACKET OR PONCHO BECAUSE UMBRELLAS ARE NOT ALLOWED. NOT IDEAL, BUT FOR OUR GRADUATES LIKE VINCE ALBERS, MAYBE NOT SO BAD. I THINK HONESTLY, IT WILL BE A LITTLE PICTURESQUE. I LIKE I’M TRYING TO LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE OF IT, BUT IT’D BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BUMMER FOR MY MY FAMILY COMING. BUT BE A MOVIE MOMENT IF YOU WILL. UC SAYS THEY WILL ANNOUNCE ANY CHANGES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO FAMILIES CAN ADJUST THEIR PLANS. THEY SAY THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS SAFETY. I’M REPORTING AT UC’S CAMPUS RACHEL WHELAN WLWT NEWS FIVE. RACHEL, WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, YOU IMMEDIATELY WONDER WHY CAN’T THEY JUST CHANGE VENUES, SAY FIFTH THIRD ARENA? SO WHY DOESN’T THE UNIVERSITY SAY MOVE IT? THERE? RIGHT. WE ASKED THE UNIVERSITY THAT QUESTION. THEY HAVE YET TO GET BACK TO US. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THERE’S A RECORD NUMBER OF STUDENTS GRADUATING THIS CLASS OF 2025, ABOUT 7500 STUDENTS AND FIFTH THIRD ARENA ONLY HOLDS ABOUT 12,000 PEOPLE. SO YOU’D HAVE TO THINK THAT NOT ALL FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND. GOT TO BE FRUSTRATING FOR THOSE