In the spring of 2020, schools and colleges printed yard signs, pole banners, and other wide-format graphics to publicly honor home-bound graduating seniors. This spring, the tradition of finding creative ways to recognize graduating student continues, even as some socially distanced graduation ceremonies were streamed online or held live in front of limited numbers of attendees.
In honor of Lorain County Community College’s graduating class of 2021, LCCC created the “Doors of Opportunity” interactive graphics installation to celebrate each student’s resilient journey to become a college graduate.
Twenty-one full sized doors lined a grassy median stretching nearly 450 feet in the college’s parking area. Each door graphic linked to an augmented reality video that shared the personal story of a graduate from each of the college’s academic programs. These 21 custom videos featured 25 members of the class of 2021 who appear to enter their door in unique ways when viewers scan a QR code on every door.
videos about graduates from different areas of specialization. (Photos: Lorain County Community College)
The Doors of Opportunity display was open to the public for eight days following the May 15 graduation ceremony. Visitors were encouraged to bring their smartphones to interact with the doors, take photos, and share on social media.
“The Doors of Opportunity honor the courage the class of 2021 demonstrated to achieve their academic goals,” said LCCC President Marcia J. Ballinger, Ph.D. “Many of our students faced incredible challenges throughout their journey and yet they persevered to become college graduates – perhaps during the most challenging years of their lives.”
The 21 doors also represent the depth of academic opportunities LCCC provides its students by offering more than 100 programs, including a University Partnership providing bachelor’s and master’s degrees, high-school dual enrollment options, and short-term training certificates.
A door that featured the word “achieve” showed the story of Akua Agyemang, Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar and member of the All-Ohio First Academic Team. Agyemang earned an Associate of Science degree with a 4.0 grade point average and plans to transfer to a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry before attending medical school to become an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Ballinger says that while the single row of doors symbolizes the commonality among a united graduating class, each door brings to life the unique path a student takes to reach graduation day.
“A one-size-fits-all approach to education no longer works in today’s world,” Ballinger says. “So LCCC meets our students where they are in life to help them reach their academic goals. And today, our graduates are walking through that door, toward the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Lorain Community College is located in Elyria, Ohio. For more information, visit: 21 Doors of Opportunity | Lorain County Community College (lorainccc.edu)