Florida State University To Hold First In-Person Graduations Since 2019

WFSU | By Gina Jordan

Published February 25, 2021 at 9:57 PM EST

FSU is preparing for small, socially distanced ceremonies in April

Florida State University will hold in-person commencement ceremonies for its spring graduates.

President John Thrasher has announced that the university will hold 11 smaller commencement ceremonies at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center over the course of two weekends – April 17-18 & 23-24. Thrasher will serve as the featured speaker at each ceremony.

The smaller ceremonies will allow for social distancing for graduates seated on the civic center floor, as well as four guests per graduate in the audience. Masks will be required for everyone. A condensed program will feature the reading of graduates’ names while they walk across the stage, and professional photographers will document each event.

“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,” Thrasher said.

FSU-Panama City will host its graduation ceremony at 6pm (CST) on April 24th at Tommy Oliver Stadium.

It will be the first time since December 2019 that FSU will hold in-person commencement. FSU is also planning in-person ceremonies for its 2020 graduates who were recognized in virtual ceremonies due to the pandemic. More details will be released in the coming weeks.

All ceremonies will be livestreamed for those unable to attend. A schedule of ceremony dates and times for each college and department .