DAYTON, Ohio— Like many schools across the country, the University of Dayton held a virtual graduation ceremony this weekend. It’s not how seniors envisioned their college careers coming to end. But the school still plans to give the students the ceremony they deserve.

• The University of Dayton had a record near 3,000 graduates between December and May graduations
• UD shared a video for all grads to celebrate their accomplishments
• The university promised its students that it would host an in-person commencement once the current health crisis is cleared and large gatherings are allowed once again.

Alex Powell is one of almost 1500 students receiving an undergraduate degree at the University of Dayton this weekend. But her senior year, like most others, didn’t end as planned.

“There’s no way that campus closes, like Dayton to Daytona, like it’s not going to get canceled," Powell said. "Like none of that could happen. And then it did and it’s like well shoot, what are we supposed to do?”

Powell was especially looking forward to her last semester on campus. After dealing with a desmoid tumor her entire college career as well as playing soccer, she wanted a normal last couple of months at UD.

“I was really looking forward to this semester just because this was the first semester where I wasn’t on any drugs or chemo or anything and didn’t have soccer so I was just a student," Powell said.

But instead, Powell and her fellow classmates finished the year online and with a virtual graduation celebration.

“It’s just not how I expected my senior year to end, that’s for sure," Powell said.

“I dearly wish that I were looking out at a sea of your beautiful faces at UD Arena right now, but I feel your presence deep in my heart," Eric Spina, the president of the University of Dayton said.

The video shown to all of the spring graduates included messages of congratulations from professors and memories through the year. But President Spina made it clear that this video would not replace a traditional commencement.

“I promise, I promise that we will come together again with the proper commencement with all the traditional pomp and circumstance," Spina said.

“I definitely think people would come back for it, even if they live far away because everyone loves Dayton so much," Powell said.

Powell graduated with a pre-med degree and plans to continue school at Xavier to get a nursing degree. She says she will cherish the memories she made at UD forever, especially on the soccer field.

“Other things will probably fade and I’ll forget the parties and whatever, but the soccer stuff, that was just really special to be a part of the team," she said.

She hopes her other classmates will look past the last few months and remember the good memories .

“We had the last three or so months taken away," Powell said. "But we had four amazing years and so we have all of that t think about and relive.”