RIT group hosting a virtual commencement in Minecraft with digital fireworks and diplomas

Rochester Institute of Technology’s Electronic Gaming Society has been rebuilding the school’s campus in the video game Minecraft — in which players create their own worlds using blocks.

And at 8 p.m. Friday, members of the class of 2020 will be able to participate in an in-game commencement ceremony at a Minecraft version of Gordon Field House.

Alexa Amoriello, the society’s incoming president who also is head moderator for the Minecraft project, said in an RIT statement that the group had the idea to host the virtual commencement at the project’s start: “We made sure that the Gordon Field House and Activities Center was one of the first buildings to be re-created so that we would be prepared for this event.”

Student creators added a stage, podium, chairs, commencement decorations and “Minecraft Munson” — a Minecraft version of RIT president David Munson — to the virtual building. They also made a graduation gown skin for users to apply to their characters during the event, which also will be streamed on YouTube, Twitch and Mixer.

Graduating students interested in “walking” during the ceremony have to fill out a sign-up form in advance.

Participants will be announced by their Minecraft usernames and invited to “walk” across the stage, where they’ll be greeted by the in-game version of Munson, who will throw them diplomas.

“The diplomas are made from Minecraft’s map items, but are decorated to look like an RIT diploma,” said Amoriello, a second-year game and design development major from Westchester.

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When each student catches his or her diploma, a congratulatory message will appear on-screen and orange fireworks will go off above the Minecraft stage. Participants will have the option to thank people and offer a few words of encouragement. And after exiting the stage, they will be able to take photos of their Minecraft characters, in cap and gown, next to RIT’s Tiger Statue.

The college hosted a virtual conferring of degrees last week.

“While not intended to replace a traditional commencement, this celebration recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of the class of 2020,” the school said at the time.