The University of Tampa December Commencement Saturday, Dec. 15

The University of Tampa will hold its 147th commencement Saturday, Dec. 15, at 9:30 a.m. at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall. The ceremony will include 667 graduates, including 530 bachelor’s degree candidates and 137 master’s degree candidates. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Heather Masonjones, professor of biology, is the speaker for the ceremony. Masonjones is the recipient of the 2017-2018 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.

Ashley K. Morales-Pacheco, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and world affairs and psychology, will introduce the speaker, and Alyssa Diane Garcia, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, 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:

Thursday, Dec. 13:
- College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education, 6 p.m., Vaughn Center, ninth floor, Crescent Club
Friday, Dec. 14:
- Department of Nursing hooding and pinning ceremony, noon, Plant Hall Grand Salon (by invitation only)
- Department of Health Sciences and Human Performance hooding ceremony, 10:30 a.m., Plant Hall, Music Room
- Sykes College of Business hooding and awards ceremony, 6 p.m., Martinez Athletics Center

To view a live webcast of Saturday’s commencement ceremony, go to www.ut.edu/commencementlive/?terms=streaming. Share your commencement story by using #utampa.

UT Graduates by the Numbers:

Total graduates = 667
Countries represented = 52
% of graduates from Florida = 48

Undergraduate students
Total bachelor’s degree candidates = 530
Summa cum laude (GPA 4.0) = 2
Magna cum laude (GPA 3.75 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 44
Cum laude (GPA 3.5 or higher, but less than 3.75) = 69
Top 3 most popular undergraduate majors in this class = Finance, Marketing and Management

Graduate students
Total master’s candidates = 137
With honors (GPA 3.9 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 8
With highest honors (GPA 4.0) = 16
MBAs awarded = 48