Countdown to Commencement
A Message from President John Thrasher
to Spring 2021 Graduates
February 25, 2021
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
Florida State University Spring 2021 Commencement Ceremony Schedule
All ceremonies held at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center unless otherwise noted
Saturday, April 17 — 9:00 AM
Arts and Sciences: Computer Science and Psychology
Saturday, April 17 — 2:00 PM
Arts and Sciences: Biological Science; Chemistry and Biochemistry; College STEM Teaching; Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science; Mathematics; Physics; Scientific Computing; Statistics
Saturday, April 17 — 7:00 PM
Arts and Sciences: Anthropology; Classics; English; History; Humanities; Modern Languages & Linguistics; Philosophy; Religion; Women’s Studies
College of Music: All Academic Departments/Programs
Sunday, April 18 — 2:00 PM
College of Nursing; College of Education; College of Applied Studies: All Academic Departments/Programs
Sunday, April 18 — 7:00 PM
Dedman College of Hospitality; Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship; College of Fine Arts; College of Medicine (undergraduates and Doctor of Philosophy students only): All Academic Departments/Programs
Friday, April 23 — 9:00 AM
Social Sciences and Public Policy: Economics; Geography; International Affairs; Political Science; Public Health
Friday, April 23 — 2:00 PM
Social Sciences and Public Policy: African-American Studies; Asian Studies; Demography; Social Science; Latin American Caribbean Studies; Askew School of Public Administration and Policy; Sociology; Urban and Regional Planning
College of Human Sciences: All Academic Departments/Programs
Friday, April 23 — 7:00 PM
College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering: All Academic Departments/Programs
Saturday, April 24 — 9:00 AM
College of Business: Accounting; Finance; Business Analytics, Information Systems and Supply Chain
Saturday, April 24 — 2:00 PM
College of Business: Business Administration; Management; Marketing; Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate and Legal Studies
Saturday, April 24 — 7:00 PM
College of Communication and Information; College of Social Work: All Academic Departments/Programs
Sunday, April 25 — 11:00 AM
College of Law
Panama City Campus Ceremony
Location: Tommy Oliver Stadium (351 East 13th Street, Panama City, FL)
Saturday, April 24 — 6:00 PM CST
All Academic Departments/Programs