Cap, gown and poncho required for U of I grads

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Illinois has added something to the list of usual gear for its spring graduates at the Urbana-Champaign campus - rain ponchos.

The campuswide, May 17 graduation ceremony will be outside at Memorial Stadium.

According to The News-Gazette in Champaign, the school hasn't held an outdoor graduation ceremony in four decades. But with construction taking place at the State Farm Center the ceremony is moving outside. And all of the roughly 3,000 graduates will get ponchos, just in case.

Laura Wilhelm-Barr is director of special events at the campus. She said the school will also cover the field at the stadium with a temporary floor to protect the turf. She says the ceremony will go ahead rain or shine. Only lightning would lead to a change.