Florida News Straight From the Source
A Tallahassee native who is the first African American and woman to lead the Library of Congress will be the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Fall 2019 Commencement speaker. [Read more…] about Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden Scheduled as FAMU Fall Commencement Speaker
The University of Tampa will hold its 145th commencement on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 9:30 a.m. at the Florida State Fairgrounds, Expo Hall. The ceremony will include 502 graduates, including 386 bachelor’s degree candidates and 116 master’s degree candidates. The ceremony is free and open to the public.
The speaker for the ceremony, Gregg Bachman, professor of communication, will share “Four Lessons From Your Future” with the graduates. Bachmann was the recipient of the 2016-2017 Louise Loy Hunter Award, which is given annually by its previous recipients to a UT professor for excellence in teaching and cumulative contributions in service and scholarship.
Andrew Arnold, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in film and media arts, will introduce the speaker, and Haley Ward, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in writing, will deliver the challenge to the graduating class.
In the days leading up to the ceremony, several departments will hold hooding ceremonies for their master’s degree candidates:
To view a live webcast of Saturday’s commencement ceremony, CLICK HERE. Tweet at #utampa.
UT Graduates by the Numbers:
Total graduates = 502
Countries represented = 49
% of graduates from Florida = 49
Undergraduate Students
Total bachelor’s degree candidates = 386
Summa cum laude (GPA 4.0) = 1
Magna cum laude (GPA 3.75 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 28
Cum laude (GPA 3.5 or higher, but less than 3.75) = 59
Top 3 most popular undergraduate majors in this class = Accounting, Management and Criminology
Graduate Students
Total master’s candidates = 116
With honors (GPA 3.9 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 15
With highest honors (GPA 4.0) = 6
MBAs awarded = 35
The first female and 117th bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Vashti McKenzie and alumna and Allstate Insurance Executive Cheryl Harris will address Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) fall 2017 graduates. Approximately 630 FAMU graduates will be cheered on by family, friends, faculty, staff, alumni, and other guests during two ceremonies.
Harris will speak on Friday, December 15 at 6 p.m., at the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium. McKenzie will deliver her message in the Lawson Center on Saturday, December 16 at 9 a.m.
Described as an “electrifying preacher,” McKenzie’s historic election in 2000 was the first time in the A.M.E. Church’s 213-year history that a woman had obtained the level of Episcopal office. McKenzie is an author, documentary producer and the presiding prelate of the 10th Episcopal District.
Harris is a graduate of FAMU’s School of Business and Industry and serves on the FAMU Foundation Board of Directors. She oversees Allstate’s Supplier Diversity Program and was recently named one of Black Enterprise’s “Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America” in 2017.
On December 15, the following schools and colleges will confer degrees upon 274 graduates:
- FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
- School of Allied Health
- School of Architecture and Engineering Technology
- School of Business and Industry
- School of the Environment
- School of Nursing
- School of Journalism & Graphic Communication
On December 16, the following colleges will confer degrees upon 357 graduates:
- College of Agriculture and Food Sciences
- College of Education
- College of Law
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- College of Science and Technology
- College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
The University of North Florida will honor a student with an outstanding record of volunteerism, when it hands out over 1,000 degrees Friday, Dec. 8, during fall commencement at the UNF Arena, Building 34, on campus.
UNF senior Nikki Adams, who is graduating this week with a bachelor’s degree in biology, will be recognized as the recipient of the Senior Service Award, which is presented to a graduating senior for outstanding volunteer service to the University or community by the UNF Alumni Association. She will be honored during the 10 a.m. ceremony.
Adams, a Jacksonville native who grew up in Riverside, realized she could spark change and awareness through volunteerism and found she could accomplish this through the University’s Environmental Center, where she became deeply involved with the Center’s student-led organization, the Environmental Center Student Coalition. Adams served as club president last fall and facilitated open discussions with students about environmental problems and ways in which they could enact change.
Through the UNF Environmental Center, Adams began to participate in activities that also helped improve the Northeast Florida community by volunteering at clean-up events organized by the St. Johns Riverkeeper, North Florida Land Trust and Groundwork Jax. By “getting down in the dirt” with a team of impassioned individuals, she was able to work as part of a team committed to making a positive, visual change.
Additionally, Adams has interned with the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve as well as the National Park Service and volunteered with the North Florida Land Trust’s Team Terrapin, where she contributed to a database that served to quantify the amount of diamondback terrapins present in the marshes on Big Talbot Island. She’s also volunteered with The Girls Gone Green, the U.S. Green Building Council, Dreams Come True and Rising Tides Young Professionals group.
The ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction will take place at 10 a.m., while the ceremony for the Brooks College of Health, Coggin College of Business and the
College of Education and Human Services will start at 2 p.m.
The University expects to award a total of 1,022 bachelor’s degrees, 165 master’s degrees and 38 doctorates this term. Including the fall 2017 graduates, UNF has issued a total of 73,956 bachelor’s degrees, 18,591 master’s degrees and 531 doctorates since first opening its doors in 1972.
