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The University of Tampa will honor more than 1,400 students at its 148th commencement on Saturday, May 11, during two separate ceremonies at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall. [Read more…] about UT to Hold Spring Commencement on May 11 for 1,400 Students at State Fairgrounds
Hip-hop recording artist, actor and activist Common, Florida A&M University (FAMU) alum and former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and veteran music industry attorney Nicole Wyskoarko will be the speakers for the FAMU Spring Commencement ceremonies. [Read more…] about Artist, Activist Common to address FAMU Spring Commencement Graduates
The University of North Florida will honor two students with outstanding records of volunteerism and caring spirits, when it hands out more than 1,700 degrees Friday, April 26, during spring commencement at the UNF Arena, Building 34. [Read more…] about UNF Honoring Students’ Exceptional Service at Spring Commencement
The University of Tampa will honor nearly 1,400 students at its 146th commencement on Saturday, May 5, during two separate ceremonies at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall.
The ceremony for graduates of the Sykes College of Business and the College of Arts and Letters will take place at 9:30 a.m., and the ceremony for graduates of the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education and College of Natural and Health Sciences will follow at 2 p.m.
Between the two ceremonies, there are 1,214 bachelor’s degree candidates and 159 master’s degree candidates — 1,373 in all.
At the morning ceremony, Thomas Graham ’82, former vice president, special projects at Pepco Holdings, will give the address, and Roman Cowan ’10, MBA ’14, M.S. ’14, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving, will receive the 2018 Young Alumnus Award.
In the afternoon ceremony, Scott Charbo ’86, vice president, information technology and digital services at Nutrien, is the speaker, and William Franchi ’06, founder and managing partner of Franchi Law and Pro Agents Sports Management and co-founder of Pro Title Insurance Agency, will receive the 2018 Alumni Achievement Award.
Several graduate programs have hooding ceremonies scheduled in the days leading up to commencement
UT Graduates by the Numbers
Total graduates = 1,373
Countries represented = 62
% of graduates from Florida = 41%
Undergraduates
Total bachelor’s degree candidates = 1,214
Summa cum laude (GPA 4.0) = 7
Magna cum laude (GPA 3.75 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 121
Cum laude (GPA 3.5 or higher, but less than 3.75) = 206
Top 3 most popular undergraduate majors in this class = Marketing, Finance and Criminology
Graduate students
Total master’s candidates = 159
With honors (GPA 3.9 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 11
With highest honors (GPA 4.0) = 11
MBAs awarded = 41
The University of North Florida will honor students with outstanding records of volunteerism and caring spirits, when it hands out more than 1,850 degrees Friday, April 27, during spring commencement at the UNF Arena, Building 34, on campus.
Senior Sara-Marie Saliba, who will graduate from the Brooks College of Health with a Bachelor of Science in nursing, will be recognized as the recipient of the Senior Service Award, while Ayshka Elise Rodriguez-Velez, who will be graduating with a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering, will be recognized as the recipient of the Albert D. Ernest Jr. Caring Award.
The UNF Alumni Association presents the Senior Service Award to a graduating senior for outstanding volunteer service to the University or community. The Caring Award recognizes students who demonstrate the spirit of caring, humanitarianism and volunteerism exemplified by Albert Ernest.
Saliba, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon, believes that a nursing career will provide her the opportunity to greatly impact individuals and the community. She has been an instrumental member of the Student Nurses Association, serving as volunteer chair and first vice president. She also revived the Red Cross Ospreys Club on campus in association with the American Red Cross, functioning as the club’s vice president.
Because Saliba wants to drive change and promote health, she has participated in the UNF Environmental Center’s “Garbage on the Green” project. This initiative educates students, faculty and staff about ways to reduce campus trash through recycling and litter-prevention practices.
A Jacksonville native who lives on the Southside, Saliba has exemplified the University’s commitment to community service through her seven-year volunteer involvement with St. Maron Catholic Church and Holy Family Catholic Church. She has volunteered at Mayo Clinic’s optical shop and emergency department, in addiation to tutoring Sulzbacher Center students twice weekly over the last two years as well as mentoring other adolescents in the community. Rodriguez-Velez, a Southside resident, plans to pursue a career in biomedical application and devices that will help serve the world community. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate careers at UNF, she has been a member and an officer of the Society of Women Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
Rodriguez-Velez has invested her time outside of class by volunteering for programs such as the SHPE Jr. program at Ribault High School and Introduce A Girl to Engineering Day. These initiatives that promote STEM awareness and offer hands-on activities, give children from underrepresented households opportunities to see the world beyond their backyards. As a Hispanic female engineer, Rodriguez-Velez hopes to inspire other young women and Hispanics to pursue their dreams, no matter what they may be.
The ceremony for the Brooks College of Health and the College of Education and Human Services will take place at 9 a.m., followed by a 12:30 p.m. ceremony for the Coggin College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences (art, biology, chemistry, economics, English, fine arts, French studies, history, interdisciplinary studies, international studies, math, music, philosophy, physics, practical philosophy and applied ethics, religious studies, Spanish and statistics.)
The ceremony for the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction and the final ceremony for COAS (anthropology, communication, criminal justice, political science, public administration, psychology, social work and sociology) will take place at 4 p.m.
The University expects to award a total of 1,545 bachelor’s degrees, 242 master’s degrees and 71 doctorates this term. Including the spring 2018 graduates, UNF has issued a total of 75,501 bachelor’s degrees, 18,883 master’s degrees and 602 doctorates since first opening its doors in 1972.
The University will honor nearly 1,500 graduates at its 144th commencement on Saturday, May 6. For the first time the University will host two separate ceremonies at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall.
The ceremony for graduates of the Sykes College of Business and the College of Arts and Letters will take place at 9:30 a.m., and the ceremony for graduates of the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education, and College of Natural and Health Sciences will follow at 2 p.m.
Between the two ceremonies, there are 1,209 bachelor’s degree candidates and 288 master’s degree candidates —1, 497 in all.
At the morning ceremony, William B. Rutherford ’86, chief financial officer and executive vice president at HCA Holdings Inc., will give the address, and Alan Randolph ’90, Florida state president at Bank of the Ozarks, will receive the 2017 Alumni Achievement Award. James Scudero ’17, a digital arts major from Hauppauge, NY, will introduce the speaker, and Khadijah Khan ’17, a journalism major from Tarpon Springs, FL, will deliver the challenge to the graduating class.
In the afternoon ceremony, Aileen Black ’83, executive director, industry lead and group leader U.S. government at Google, is the speaker, and Tammy Charles ’12, MBA ’14, senior manager of corporate relations at Metropolitan Ministries, will receive the 2017 Young Alumnus Award. Talia Ashby ’17, a sociology major from Tampa, FL, will introduce the speaker, and Jennifer Sanchez, a government and world affairs major from Tampa, FL, will deliver the challenge to the graduating class.
Several graduate programs have hooding ceremonies scheduled in the days leading up to commencement:
Friday, June 23:
UT Graduates by the Numbers:
Total graduates = 1,497
Countries represented = 58
% of graduates from Florida = 44%
Undergraduates
Total bachelor’s degree candidates = 1,209
Summa cum laude (GPA 4.0) = 4
Magna cum laude (GPA 3.75 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 99
Cum laude (GPA 3.5 or higher, but less than 3.75) = 186
Top 3 most popular undergraduate majors in this class = Criminology, Management and Marketing
Graduate students
Total master’s candidates = 288
With honors (GPA 3.9 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 10
With highest honors (GPA 4.0) = 12
MBAs awarded = 110
The University of North Florida will honor two students with outstanding records of volunteerism and caring spirits, when it hands out more than 1,620 degrees Friday, April 28, during spring commencement at the UNF Arena, Building 34, on campus.
Senior Brianna Ballard, who is graduating this week with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics, will be recognized as the recipient of the Senior Service Award, while, Sarah Rosen, a senior graduating with a degree in international studies, will be recognized as the recipient of the Albert D. Ernest Jr. Caring Award.
The UNF Alumni Association presents the Senior Service Award to a graduating senior for outstanding volunteer service to the University or community. The Caring Award recognizes students who demonstrate the spirit of caring, humanitarianism and volunteerism exemplified by Albert Ernest. Ballard will be honored during the 9 a.m. ceremony, while Rosen will be honored at the noon ceremony.
As an incoming freshman new to Jacksonville, Ballard, an Orlando native, immediately sought out volunteer opportunities as a way to become familiar with the campus and community. She began volunteering with the On-Campus Transition mentoring program, a program designed for UNF student-peers to help other students with developmental disabilities become acclimated to campus and feel a part of a community. She also participated in a Transformational Learning Opportunity study-abroad class to Peru, which opened her eyes to food insecurity and hunger present in our community, inspiring her to move forward with a major in nutrition.
Finding inspiration from her study-abroad experiences, Ballard created a food recovery program on the UNF campus and is the co-president/founder of the student-led organization, Food Fighters. The organization works with UNF Dining Services to recover and repackage food, providing meals and education to Northeast Florida Aids Network clients. The Food Fighters are not only successfully feeding the hungry and reducing food waste but are also teaching UNF students about food safety, nutrition education and leadership skills. The group’s work has also helped the University to build a bridge with local nonprofits.
Additionally, Ballard has served as the president of the UNF Healthy Osprey Club, a spin instructor at the campus Student Wellness Complex, a frequent volunteer at local gardens and food pantries as well as the St. Vincent’s Bariatrics Services Department. These opportunities have allowed her to share her passion for healthy living and inspire fellow students and others in Northeast Florida.
Rosen, a native of Boca Raton, spent a year abroad after high school volunteering in Tanzania and Costa Rica. She is the new Volunteer Services coordinator on campus, stressing to students the importance of volunteerism as well as creating hands-on opportunities. Rosen is a Refugee Friendship Volunteer with World Relief Jacksonville, assisting new immigrant families as well as volunteering with Hubbard House, Habitat for Humanity, UNF’s Interfaith Center and Model United Nations chapter.
She founded the Osprey Volunteer Club and stays active in the organization. In the summer of 2015, she biked across the Unites States with others and raised $8,000 for grants towards affordable housing. Last fall, Rosen ran in the Philadelphia Marathon, raising funds for the non-profit organization Girl Up, which supports females in developing countries.
This semester, Rosen was an Interfaith Center student assistant, where she worked advancing the mission of the Center to establish pluralism on campus, in the community and beyond through interfaith events and dialogue. She will continue her journey at Columbia University pursuing a master’s in social work, with a focus in social policy.
The ceremony for the College of Education and Human Services as well as the Brooks College of Health begins at 9 a.m. The College of Arts and Sciences (art, biology, chemistry, economics, English, fine arts, French studies, history, interdisciplinary studies, international studies, math, music, philosophy, physics, practical philosophy and applied ethics, religious studies, Spanish and statistics) and the Coggin College of Business begin at 12:30 p.m., while the ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences (anthropology, communication, criminal justice, political sciences, public administration, psychology, social work and sociology) and the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction take place at 4 p.m.
The University expects to award a total of 1,546 bachelor’s degrees, 195 master’s degrees and 56 doctorates this term. Including the spring 2017 graduates, UNF has issued a total of 72,206 bachelor’s degrees, 18,241 master’s degrees and 476 doctorates since first opening its doors in 1972.
