Cameron Sullivan, who graduated recently with his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, was among several GCU students who participated in a virtual Commencement ceremony in the popular video game “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.”
By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau
Crossing the stage took on a whole new meaning for Grand Canyon University Computer Science major Cameron Sullivan and four other recent GCU graduates, a current GCU student and a friend from Arizona State University. They celebrated their big accomplishment with a virtual Commencement ceremony on popular video game “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.”
GCU junior Adam Brink, a friend of Cameron, came up with the idea soon after the game’s release, when he discovered the cap-and-gown costume in the game.
“He was, like, ‘Hey! I’m going to set aside sets of those, so if we ever want to do a graduation thing in ‘Animal Crossing,’ we can,” Cameron said of the game, in which players create avatars who buy and design islands with the hope of attaining a five-star rating.
Brink, who set up most of the virtual ceremony, never would have imagined that COVID-19 would preempt large gatherings, such as Commencement ceremonies, including at GCU, and that those virtual caps and gowns would, indeed, come in handy.
Cameron and his fellow 2020 GCU grads Sebastian Flores, Trent Graumann, Mark Franklin and Xean Tapangan, along with Brink, are all from the GCU Esports community and participated in weekly Super Smash Bros. tournaments on campus. They connected via digital distribution platform Discord, used mainly by gamers, so that they could call each other.
“We chose to have a graduation in ‘Animal Crossing’ for a few reasons. One was that it was a virtual environment were we could actually be together again,” said Brink. “The second reason was that this game was a distraction from what’s going on in the world, and I know it has helped many of my friends get though these times a little easier. … It also gave a lot of us an actual chance to say congratulations and goodbye, as we all had to go home so suddenly. This is definitely a graduation I won’t forget, and it certainly will be a memory we all share together. I hope to see them all again.”
Cameron linked the stream of the ceremony to Facebook so his family could watch, including family in Minnesota.
His mom, Cindy, who lives in Cave Creek, said her sister-in-law was able to access the virtual ceremony and share it with his grandfather, who has Parkinson disease.
“She was so excited and so happy she could share that moment,” Cindy said. “She thought it was such a blessing to hear him and his friends lift each other up. You can hear Cameron tell his friends, ‘I’ve come a long way.’ It’s just been, really, a rewarding experience for him.
The “Animal Crossing” Commencement seemed apropos for Cameron, whose emphasis was in game design and simulation and would love to go into game development as a career.
Something that might help boost that desire, beyond the “Animal Crossing” Commencement, is that Sullivan was part of a project that recently placed first in the Honors College Showcase. The project featured what was to be a fully autonomous inventory robot, though the robot couldn’t be completed exactly how the team envisioned because of the semester’s abrupt end.
Although Sullivan wasn’t part of the Honors College contingent on the team, working on the robot portion of the entry was part of his senior capstone project.
Friday would have wrapped up the three days of graduation ceremonies over two weeks originally planned for Grand Canyon University‘s traditional on-ground students and nontraditional online students. But with students sheltering at home, they celebrated in inventive ways, beyond “Animal Crossing.”
The social media team posted a video compilation of how GCU’s students celebrated from their homes.
GCU Today found a few other posts, including graduation drive-by processionals and also a quick zip through the snow via snowboard — with cap and gown, of course:
#lopesoutSo proud of this young man!Well, with the real life version of him! My son got creative with his Comp-Sci buddies and…
Posted by Cindy Sullivan on Wednesday, April 29, 2020
So crazy time think the journey is finally over and I have graduated college. GCU has been such an incredible experience and has brought many people into my life. I have learned a lot, laughed a lot with my friends, cried a lot but it was all with it. So happy to finally close that chapter and work on whatever path God has planned for me and thank you to every single person who has helped me get hereI am so proud of my babies who aren't babies anymore. Today they are college graduates…sad they couldn't walk and…
Posted by Rick Strasser on Friday, April 24, 2020
Surprise Drive-by Social Distancing Graduation Party for Quincy & Emily on what would have been their graduation day from Grand Canyon University…Thanks to all who came and made them feel so special!#rixchix #lopesout
Posted by Rick Strasser on Friday, April 24, 2020
Dear GCU,I was scared to death. Leaving the only state I ever knew for a new journey in Arizona. The thought of…
Posted by Jonah Starr on Monday, April 27, 2020
Congratulations @jadalatriceduncan @thatssojadalatrice #gcu2020 #classof2020 #undergraduate #futureeducator Favor flow…
Posted by Tiffanie Duncan on Friday, April 24, 2020
#lopesout #gcugraduation2020 #coronagrad
Thank you to my sister Elyssa, my mom Yesenia, & my dad Arturo for my graduation day surprise. Although this wasn’t…
Posted by Maritza Martinez on Friday, April 24, 2020
#lopesout #gcu
#lopesout #gcu2020 #classof2020 
– Today would have been my college graduation. I’m very sad I’m not walking across the stage today. However, I am so incredibly grateful for the three years I have had at Grand Canyon University!! Transferring to @gcu was the best decision I have ever made. Without the constant support of my wonderful family, friends, and co-workers, I would not be where I am today! 
3 years in the making
Officially Ashley Kirkpatrick, BSN•Grateful for each of those years and everything that went…
Posted by Ashley Kirkpatrick on Friday, April 24, 2020
3 years in the making
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