LEXINGTON, Ky. — Another Kentucky university is celebrating its grads in person: Transylvania University. In a letter sent out to campus, Transylvania President Brien Lewis announced the university will host an in-person ceremony for the class of 2021 on Saturday, May 29. Details on the ceremonies are being finalized and will be updated on the university's website.

The class of 2020 won't be left out of the celebrations. On Saturday, May 22, Transylvania will host an in-person celebration for last year's graduates. Details for that ceremony are also being finalized and will be available on the 2020 Commencement webpage.

Lewis also announced the university plans to return to a face-to-face model for most classes beginning in August. 

"We are hopeful that because of our small class sizes, we will be back in our usual classrooms for most courses," he wrote. "We also plan to take advantage of the technology we’ve utilized over the last 12 months and may offer online sections of some courses."

The university will also return to its standard 4-4-1 calendar for the 2021-22 academic year, meaning most students will take four courses in the fall and winter terms and one course during the May term. Registration for fall classes will be April 5-9.

In January, Transylvania announced it will return to its usual on-campus residency guidelines. Lewis said that while he expects the university's Healthy at Transy, NCAA, and public health guidance to evolve over the next few months, "we anticipate more flexibility with events, activities and athletics on campus in the 2021-22 academic year."

Some employees will soon make their return to campus.

"We expect to begin a phased return to campus for employees over the summer with supervisors, in coordination with the human resources office, empowered to determine whether certain positions and employees may be eligible for some levels of remote work," Lewis wrote.

The university president said Transylvania will continue to follow Kentucky's guidance for businesses on the number of employees working in person. 

"This ability to change, adapt and innovate is one of the core goals of a liberal arts education and a distinctive Transylvania degree. We prepare our students to be agents of creativity, to be curious and resilient, and this past year they have done so resoundingly," he said. "We are excited to plan for the fall and beyond and to gather together again as a campus community."