Spring graduates granted options to attend virtual commencement, August ceremonies
Although spring graduates will not be able to walk down the Yuengling Center aisle to the song “Pomp and Circumstance” in head-to-toe regalia next month, USF is providing those students with an alternative.
Instead, students can hop online to attend a virtual commencement hosted from their designated campus the second weekend in May.
USF has also made the decision to expand its summer commencements to spring graduates which are tentatively planned for Aug. 6-9. The ceremony times will be announced at a later date based on the number of people who fill out the survey.
This announcement comes after the Florida Board of Governors canceled all university commencement ceremonies March 17 due to the unprecedented situation surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak.
Sticking to the routine of graduations held prior, the virtual commencement will include remarks from USF President Steven Currall and the student body president from each campus — Britney Deas from Tampa, Jazzy Duarte from St. Pete and Isabelle Starner from Sarasota-Manatee.
The email Currall sent to the university this afternoon also said the names of the graduates will be displayed on the screen.
If students want a keepsake from the ceremony, they have the option to request a hard copy of the spring commencement program.
“As always, the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to update our spring graduates as plans progress,” Currall said in the email.
“Our Commencement plans are contingent upon guidance we receive from federal, state and local government and public health officials.”
More Stories
USF admin’s response to suicides unclear. What we know so far.
USF’s administration will not say who or how it will prevent future suicides on campus a month after a student leapt from an upper floor balcony of the Interdisciplinary Science Building – the third suicide since fall 2022. The Oracle has asked repeatedly about which USF administrators are overseeing suicide prevention initiatives and how the […]
USF SG leaders look back on campaign accomplishments while on non-speaking terms
Student body president Cesar Esmeraldi and vice president Elizabeth Volmy reached nearly every campaign goal during their term. The one thing that didn’t persevere was their unity. The pair ended their tenure reflecting on it from separate rooms. “We’ve had a great year,” Esmeraldi said. “I’m very happy with everything we’ve built. But because of […]
USF’s ‘Take Back the Night’ allows sexual survivors to share pain, resilience: ‘Recovery isn’t easy.’
A sexual assault survivor, who was the first speaker at Wednesday evening’s “Take Back the Night,” said the hardest day of their life was not when they were assaulted – it was the day after. “When I had to call my mom and tell her how her [child lost their] virginity and tell my therapist […]
USF campus ministers offer perspective on stadium development: ‘Exciting benefit of exposure.’
Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium – the […]
McKinley Drive closed down for death investigation, Tampa police say
The intersection between Fowler Avenue and McKinley Drive was closed due to a death investigation late Wednesday afternoon, according to the Tampa Police Department (TPD). A man shot himself after making a bomb threat in the parking lot of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), located at 11201 McKinley Drive, according to TPD. Police said […]
USF 2024-25 A&S budget to increase student organization funding in Tampa and St. Pete
The Student Government (SG) Senate approved the 2024-25 Student Activities & Services (A&S) budget for all three campuses this Tuesday, seeing an overall increase in allocated money to student organizations. The vote was 26-0, approving the budget. Related: 2023-24 A&S budget down $5 million from last fiscal year Students pay fees in their tuition – […]