USF will hold in-person graduation ceremonies

On-campus classes to resume in fall

College students in the Tampa Bay area can look forward to a shift in campus life this fall after the pandemic moved many classes online or outside last year.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - In-person commencement ceremonies will return this spring for University of South Florida students.

USF officials made the announcement Monday saying the ceremonies will take place at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. It will be the first time the university’s graduations will be held in-person since December 2019.

Tentatively, spring commencement ceremonies will be held between May 7-9.
Graduates must RSVP by April 5. Then, USF officials said they will determine the number of ceremonies in order to adhere to COVID-19 protocols and maintain social distancing. They said a final schedule should be released by April 9.

USF officials said the venue can hold 7,000 students and provide some space for relatives. Each graduate can bring two guests.

The school also plans to honor graduates who missed out on the in-person opportunity from spring 2020, summer 2020, and fall 2020.

"While May’s ceremonies are limited to spring 2021 graduates," according to a statement from USF, "those past graduates and their families will be invited back for a more traditional commencement at a future date when COVID-19 restrictions can be reduced."

Earlier this month, USF announced it will return to in-person classes.

Meanwhile, the University of Florida and Florida State University announced they will not only start bringing people back to campus for in-person instruction this summer, but also they will hold in-person graduation ceremonies for those graduating in the spring semester.

University of Tampa previously announced they will keep their graduation virtual.

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