For the University of Alabama students originally set to graduate in May 2011, feelings of bliss and achievement weren’t necessarily in the air as they finally walked across the stage.

The anticipated graduation ceremony was postponed after an EF4 tornado tore through Tuscaloosa in late April, causing that walk across the stage to be a distant thought in many graduates’ minds.

In August, the graduates received the mention for which they had been waiting. In multiple ceremonies, the graduates took their final walk across the stage.

“We actually had a very good turnout for the recent graduation,” said Cathy Andreen, director of media relations for the University.

Despite the ceremonies’ postponement, many graduates, along with their friends and families, were able to make room in their schedules for the special day. More than 4,000 graduates attended, and a memorial service honoring the tornado victims was held later that night.

Many of the students involved seemed content with the ceremony. Hannah Beth Wyatt, a recent graduate, said attending the ceremony was convenient for her because she is beginning graduate school at the University anyway. She said her family, though, had more trouble making it.

The University gave out post-humus diplomas, which were accepted by family members of the six students who passed away in the tornado. Wyatt described the respect shown to the victims of the tornado as deeply moving and commendable.

“When the diplomas were given out, people around me were crying, and there was complete silence,” Wyatt said.

Graduates said the University mixed remembrance and respect with recognition of accomplishments very well.

Parker Crowley, a UA student majoring in secondary education and language arts who attended the ceremony, said the ceremony was a success.

“I think they did the tornado victims justice with the way they presented their diplomas,” Crowley said. “[The ceremony] was very nice. It was sad because of the tornado victim stuff, but it was still very formal and quick.”

The University also passed out red bracelets to the graduates in commemoration of the tornado victims.

“I think the ceremony was maybe more special because of the delay from the tornado,” said Blair Klayk, who graduated with a Master’s in journalism. “What they did with the bracelets is a great reminder of what happened.”

Andres Pena, a graduate with a degree in political science and management, said he was able to come back down to Tuscaloosa for graduation and that the postponed ceremony definitely did not hinder him from setting out to make a career. He is currently interning for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C.

“The way the University handled everything, in light of what happened, was great,” Pena said.

Pena’s group was shown coverage of the earlier ceremony in which the post-humus diplomas were handed out.

Lauren Hendrix, another recent graduate, said she was happy to finally cross the stage. At her ceremony, a short prayer was said in honor of the victims, and names of those who would have graduated were called out.

Each of the graduates was very adamant about one thing in particular: graduation, in comparison to everything else going on, was a small matter indeed. They said that receiving their diplomas was the last thing on their minds this past April. Now, after having time to reflect, graduation served as a reminder that every moment and accomplishment should be cherished.

Ashanka Kumari contributed to this report.