‘Feels like my class is cursed:’ student on canceled graduation

(NewsNation) — As pro-Palestine protests spread to campuses across the country, some schools are altering plans for classes and graduation.

At the University of Southern California, heightened security measures remain in place around the campus with entry limited to staff and students. The school also announced it would be canceling the main stage graduation ceremony.

For students in the graduating class of 2024, heartbreak is still sinking in, with one senior wondering whether the class is cursed.

The cancellation came as protests took place in the heart of campus, in the very park where the ceremony was set to be held on May 10, 2024.

The day-long pro-Palestinian encampment drew outsiders as well as students, leading to multiple skirmishes between police and protesters. Eventually, 93 people were arrested for trespassing.

It’s still unclear how many of the 93 arrested were USC students.

The university was already under scrutiny for not allowing a speech by the school’s Muslim valedictorian, a decision made nearly two weeks before the protests.

The commencement cancellation is hitting hard for the class of 2024, most of whom had their high school graduation ceremonies canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is growing criticism over the decision as students face missing another milestone.

“The university is punishing all of the graduates for something that was not even mainly students, it was people from other parts of LA just coming,” said senior David Fuentes. “It’s pretty stupid that they are ruining our graduation experience. I didn’t get my high school graduation in 2020 because of COVID, so it just feels like my class is cursed or something.”

When USC announced the decision, USC noted the university would continue to hold other commencement events, including individual school ceremonies where students are announced, cross the stage and are photographed and get their diplomas.