Dear Spring 2021 Graduates,

This has been an extraordinary year in many ways, and I’ve been so impressed by your resilience and flexibility. You have worked through some tremendous challenges in order to graduate. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce that Florida State University will celebrate this incredible milestone with in-person commencement ceremonies in April.

We plan to retain many elements of our traditional ceremonies while taking the necessary steps to ensure that we can gather in the safest way possible. We are still working out the exact details, but our plan calls for 11 smaller ceremonies, organized by college or department, to be held in the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center over the course of two weekends: Saturday, April 17-Sunday, April 18, and Friday, April 23-Saturday, April 24.

FSU-Panama City will host its commencement ceremony at 6 p.m. (CST) April 24 at Tommy Oliver Stadium in Panama City. Ticket information will be sent to Panama City graduates.

The smaller ceremonies will allow for proper social distancing for our graduates who will be seated on the Civic Center floor, as well as four guests per graduate in the audience. Masks will be required for all graduates and guests. A condensed program will feature the reading of graduates’ names while you walk across the stage. Professional photographers will be on hand to capture your proud moment.

In addition, we are planning similar ceremonies in early summer for our 2020 graduates who were recognized during virtual events. We will announce dates and details for these events in the coming days.

Thank you for your patience as we further develop these plans with the safety of you and your loved ones in mind. As we all know, the pandemic has been unpredictable, and our plans are subject to change. We will continue to monitor the situation and follow the guidance of federal, state and local officials.

Please visit commencement.fsu.edu to find the specific dates and times for each college or department ceremony and be sure to check the website frequently for more information as details are finalized. In the meantime, stay safe and finish the semester strong!

Sincerely,

John Thrasher
President