The University of Tampa December Commencement: Friday, Dec. 13

The University of Tampa will hold its 149th commencement on Friday, Dec. 13, 2019, at 1 p.m. at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall. The ceremony will include 675 graduates, including 525 who will be earning a bachelor’s degree and 150 who will be earning a master’s degree. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

The ceremony will include 675 graduates, including 525 who will be earning a bachelor’s degree and 150 who will be earning a master’s degree.

James López, professor of Spanish, is the speaker for the ceremony. He is the recipient of the 2018-2019 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.

Sara Casareto, who will be earning a Bachelor of Science degree in marine science-biology, will introduce the speaker, and Kaeli A. DiCola, who will be earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science (with a concentration in American politics) and a Bachelor of Science in criminology and criminal justice, will deliver the challenge to the graduating class.

Stuart Williams '70 is the recipient of the Esse Quam Videri Award, the highest award that can be given to a graduate of The University of Tampa.

The day before commencement, on Thursday, Dec. 12, some colleges and departments will hold hooding ceremonies for their master’s degree candidates:

Sykes College of Business hooding and awards ceremony, 6 p.m., Martinez Athletics Center
Department of Nursing hooding and pinning ceremony, noon, Falk Theatre (by invitation only)
Department of Health Sciences and Human Performance hooding and awards ceremony, 11 a.m., Plant Hall, Music Room
College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education hooding ceremony, 6 p.m., Plant Hall, Grand Salon

To view a live webcast of the commencement ceremony, go to www.ut.edu/commencementlive/?terms=streaming.

UT Degree-Seeking Candidates by the Numbers:

Total degree-seeking candidates = 675
Countries represented = 55
% from Florida = 48

Undergraduates
Total bachelor’s degree candidates = 525
Summa cum laude (GPA 4.0) = 1
Magna cum laude (GPA 3.75 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 39
Cum laude (GPA 3.5 or higher, but less than 3.75) = 70
Top 3 most popular undergraduate majors in this class = Finance, Marketing and Management

Graduate students
Total master’s degree candidates = 150
With honors (GPA 3.9 or higher, but less than 4.0) = 14
With highest honors (GPA 4.0) = 19
MBAs awarded = 33