Participants in the May 17 virtual commencement emphasized the gains as well as the losses of semesters and college careers cut short by pandemic.

The title of Doug Siemens’ address was a common phrase that’s been evoked a lot lately.

“This is not happening” is what Siemens, Bethel associate professor of teacher education, said was his first thought “when President Jon Gering told me the Class of 2020 wanted me to be the speaker for the first-ever online Bethel College graduation ceremony.”