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The University of Tampa will hold its 159th commencement on Friday, Dec. 13, at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., in the Martinez Athletics Center on campus. The ceremony will honor 982 graduates, including 688 bachelor’s degree candidates and 294 master’s degree candidates.

Graduates from the College of Arts and Letters and the Sykes College of Business will be recognized in the morning ceremony. Graduates from the College of Natural and Health Sciences and the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education will be recognized at the afternoon ceremony. In the days leading up to the ceremony, several departments will hold hooding ceremonies for their master’s degree candidates.

The on-campus venue is a change from recent years. The University has held Commencement ceremonies at the Florida State Fairgrounds since 2017. The Fairgrounds’ Expo Hall was damaged in Hurricane Milton in October, however, and was not available for the Commencement exercises.

Eric C. Freundt, professor of biology, will speak at both ceremonies. Freundt is the recipient of the 2023-2024 Louise Loy Hunter Award, which is given annually to a UTampa faculty member for excellence in teaching and cumulative contributions in service and scholarship.

In the morning ceremony, Lily Canoy, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in allied health, will introduce Freundt and deliver the challenge to the graduating class. Kristen Cox, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in sport management, will introduce Freundt in the afternoon and issue the challenge to fellow graduates.

UTampa Graduates by the Numbers

Total graduates: 982

Countries represented: 6

Percent of graduates from Florida: 51

Undergraduate students

Total bachelor’s degree candidates: 688

Summa cum laude (GPA 4.0): 11

Magna cum laude (GPA 3.75 or higher, but less than 4.0): 87

Cum laude (GPA 3.5 or higher, but less than 3.75): 100

Most popular undergraduate majors: allied health, finance and marketing

Graduate students

Total candidates: 294

With highest honors (GPA 4.0): 36

With honors (GPA 3.9 or higher, but less than 4.0): 38

MBAs awarded: 35