2024 Commencement Events
Congratulations Graduates!
Students whose application has been accepted were notified individually by email. Registration for the commencement ceremony is closed.
Commencement Event Schedule
Friday, May 10th
Students are invited to join us for Doctorate Hooding, Baccalaureate Mass, and the Saint Leo Night to Shine reception at University Campus on Friday, May 10, 2024.
- Hooding ceremony for Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Criminal Justice, and Doctor of Education graduates. The ceremony begins at 2:15 p.m. on Friday, May 10, and will be held in the Marion Bowman Activities Center. Please confirm your attendance with your program office.
- Baccalaureate Mass will take place at 5 p.m. in the Saint Leo Abbey Church, following the hooding ceremony on Friday, May 10. This special Mass is a time for graduates to give God thanks for many blessings provided during their university experience and to watch over them as they prepare for a new chapter in life. Regalia is optional for graduates. Reservations are not required to attend. Due to limited space in the Abbey Church, seating will be on a first come, first served basis. After capacity is met, guests will be directed to view the live stream in Selby Auditorium.
- The Saint Leo Night to Shine reception will follow Baccalaureate Mass at 6:30 p.m. at the Wellness Center. Please RSVP to attend. The reception will provide a great opportunity for graduates, faculty, and staff to connect with one another and enjoy food and entertainment.
RSVP is required before May 3, 2024, for the Saint Leo Night to Shine reception. You will receive a separate email to indicate your attendance at these events.
Saturday, May 11
We will hold two commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall in Tampa. The Florida State Fairgrounds is located at 4800 US Highway 301 North, Tampa FL 33610. Venue information is accessible at http://www.floridastatefair.com/.
Morning Commencement Ceremony
Saturday, May 11 at 9:00 a.m.
Saint Leo University students earning degrees through the identified programs / locations will participate:
| College / Location | Degree Programs |
|---|---|
| University Campus and Worldwide Education Center Undergraduate Students |
Undergraduate Degrees: All associate and bachelor degrees |
|
Doctorate Degrees: Business Administration |
|
|
Masters Degrees: Accounting, Computer Science, Creative Writing, Cybersecurity, Social Work |
|
Afternoon Commencement Ceremony
Saturday, May 11 at 2:30 p.m.
Saint Leo University students earning degrees through the identified programs / locations will participate:
| College / Location | Degree Programs |
|---|---|
| Worldwide Online Undergraduate Students |
Undergraduate Degrees: All associate and bachelor degrees |
|
Doctorate Degrees: Criminal Justice, Education |
|
|
Education Specialist Degree |
|
|
Masters Degrees: Business Administration, Education, Criminal Justice, |
|
Other Important Information:
Graduates and guests may arrive one hour prior to the start of each commencement ceremony and should be seated within 15 minutes of the ceremony start time. Graduates must check in to the Entertainment Hall upon arrival.
Please make post commencement plans in accordance with the published ceremony schedule. Each ceremony will be approximately 2-3 hours. Graduates and guests should remain seated through the conclusion of the ceremony and recessional. We want to give all graduating students and their families the respect and honor deserved.
Ceremony Details
RSVP is required for the Saint Leo Night to Shine reception. An RSVP link was emailed to graduates.
Guest tickets are NOT required for the Saturday commencement ceremonies. Seating will not be assigned. Seating is first-come, first-serve basis.
Baby carriers and strollers are permitted in the Expo Hall. Please note that this is bleacher-style seating so the stroller will be left unattended. Do not leave valuables with the stroller unattended.
If you or your guests require disability-related accommodations to attend or participate in the commencement ceremony, please contact the Office of Accessibility Services at (352) 588-8464 or adaoffice@saintleo.edu no later than (two weeks before commencement date).
Parking is complimentary for the graduate. We encourage students and guests to carpool to help alleviate traffic.
Regalia is required to participate in the Commencement Ceremony.
Order academic regalia online directly from Herff Jones at https://colleges.herffjones.com/college/_slu/.
Announcements and other items are available for sale on the Herff Jones website. The deadline to order online is Friday, March 29th. Late orders will have Rush Shipping fees applied and cannot be guaranteed. Contact the Campus Store at (352) 588-8344 with any questions.
Confirmed graduates participating in the commencement ceremony were emailed a request to confirm their degree program information and name. We are asking students to record their name to help us pronounce it correctly at the ceremony. You may access this site to update your pronunciation through Sunday, April 14th.
All students, regardless of participation in commencement, are required to complete the Degree Conferral Application. This application is necessary to confer your degree and issue your diploma. Please ensure you have submitted this application with associated fee prior to April 14th. If you have not, you will access it in OKTA under eLion Self-Service.
You must be financially clear to participate in the Commencement event. Contact Student Financial Services today at 800-240-7658 to discuss any account balance, resolution options, and deadline.
Be sure to bring your regalia! Academic regalia is required to participate in the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony and the Commencement Ceremony. The Commencement line-up will require graduates to be on their feet for an extended period, so comfortable shoes are recommended with the academic regalia.
Graduates are permitted to carry a small purse and/or cell phone. Any belongings will need to be kept with the graduate throughout the ceremony. There is not a place to leave, store or secure personal belongings.
Do not bring large bags, laptops, selfie sticks, balloons, air horns or noisemakers. There is not a place to leave, store or secure personal belongings.
Leis, bouquets and Saint Leo Kukui Nut necklaces will be available for sale at the commencement ceremonies. Students/guests are encouraged to pre-order and pick up before each ceremony, that way graduates can wear the leis/kukui necklaces in pictures. Graduation Day Flowers Pre-order website: https://www.thecommencementgroup.com/saintleo/
Latin honor designations will be listed in the commencement program and will be announced as the bachelor degree graduate’s name is called walking across the stage. The designation is based on the cumulative grade point average earned at the end of the prior fall term/semester. Once all grades are posted and the degree is conferred, Latin honors are calculated and will be on your diploma and transcript. Cords are not available for Latin honors. Contact your Honor Society Advisor or any organizations where you hold membership for information on other cords.
The Expo Hall is indoors so the ceremony will not be impacted by the weather. Always account for traffic.
For additional information about local hotels near Saint Leo Campus visit our website: https://www.saintleo.edu/student-experience/visit/directions-accommodations.
Alternatively, to find lodging accommodations closer to the Florida State Fair Grounds, visit https://floridastatefair.com/lodging/.
Friends and family who are not able to attend the ceremony in person may watch via live streaming video. A link will be posted on the day of the ceremony at www.saintleo.edu to access the live stream.
If your plans have changed and you no longer intend to attend commencement, please notify the Registrar’s Office at commencement@saintleo.edu.