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The University of Tampa graduated more than 2,600 students during three separate ceremonies at its 160th commencement on Saturday.

At the morning ceremony for the College of Natural and Health Sciences, Carl Wilmarth ’77, owner of LaTech Equipment, gave the keynote address.

Wilmarth spoke of the University’s impact when he came to the school as a transfer student.

“The one thing that it (the school) had was an incredible community, among students and between students and faculty. It was tight, and we were close. We didn’t have much, but we did have each other, and we made the most of it,” he said.

“When I walk on this incredible campus today, and see all that it has become, I still see that community and how this school cares.”

At each ceremony, a student was selected to deliver a challenge speech to the graduating class.

In the morning, Sofia Cuello ’25, encouraged her peers to embrace the uncertainty of the future.

“If there’s anything we’ve learned in these years of undergrad, it’s that uncertainty isn’t a barrier, it’s a lesson,” she said. “Science teaches us that even in chaos, there is order waiting to be discovered.” 

She challenged the graduating class to use the determination that got them through college to shape their futures.

In the 12:30 p.m. ceremony, Scott Leonard ’87, musician of the group Rockapella, gave the address for the College of Arts and Letters and College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education graduates.

“And now, a new chapter of new challenges. New curricula with no syllabi,” he told the graduates, emphasizing, too, the importance of community the University provided.

“You now have a community of people who believe in you, cheering you on from the sidelines. The alumni association is a great resource, and makes it easy to stay connected to this place we love,” he said.

Nicole Massey ’25 delivered the student challenge speech, expressing similar sentiments as Cuello.

She encouraged the graduating class to stay present by staying in touch with colleagues and professors, being active in the Spartan community and staying true to themselves.

When the unknown comes into play, she encouraged them to be open.

“Show up for yourself every day because you can’t skip pages in your life’s story,” she said.

“The road ahead won’t always be smooth, so wherever this bumpy brick road takes you, stay proud of this milestone, stay ambitious and stay a Spartan.”

Finally, at the 4 p.m. ceremony for the College of Business, Laura Simon MBA ’05, M.S. ’11, assistant vice president of Sompo Insurance, gave the keynote address.

“A practical application for all of us UTampa alums is to stay connected and make introductions as our ties grow,” she told the crowd. “Regardless of our degrees of separation, or strength of the personal ties between us, we are all connected through UTampa.”

Vassay Mubeen ’25, student challenge speaker for the afternoon, encouraged graduating Spartans to stay in touch with everyone — from classmates to professors.

“The people sitting to your left and right are here to help you become the best version of yourself, whether it’s looking for a job, finding a new place to live or even exploring some new restaurants,” he said.

“Remember, this community was built to help you succeed, so take advantage of that.”