Florida Commencement Ceremony Update:
In response to COVID-19, the Florida State Fairgrounds has rescheduled the state fair to May. As a result, Saint Leo University must also amend our schedule for the 2021 Commencement ceremony. Our new dates for Commencement will be May 21 and 22. The ceremony will remain at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Times are still to be determined based on the number of participants. To ensure proper social distancing, guest tickets will be required (at no charge). The number of tickets per graduate will also be dependent on the number of participants.
Registered 2021 and 2020 grads were sent an email on 03/02/2021 with a link to RSVP. Please RSVP before March 16. It is essential that you RSVP so we may plan your ceremony accordingly and continue to send you commencement-related communications. Email commencement@saintleo.edu if you did not receive the RSVP form.
Continue to monitor this site and your email for updates. In the meantime, here is what we can definitively tell you:
REGALIA
Regalia is required to participate in the ceremony. You may shop regalia and other items at Herff Jones www.herffjones.com/college/slu. The deadline to purchase is April 2. Contact the Bookstore with any questions about caps and gowns at 352-588-8344 or Maureen Tarpey at maureen.tarpey@saintleo.edu.
DIPLOMA & DEGREE CONFERRAL
All students you must submit a Degree Conferral Application. To submit this required application and payment, go to eLion – Academic Profile – Application for Graduation-Degree Conferral. Payment of $125 with credit card is due at the time of submission. This application and payment are required to confer your degree, issue your diploma, and participate in the Commencement ceremony.
FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS
You must be financially clear to participate in the Commencement event. To discuss your financial account balance or to make payment arrangements, contact Student Financial Services at 800-240-7658.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Latin honor designations will be listed in the Commencement program. 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. Latin honors are awarded to bachelor degree recipients only.
HONOR CORDS
Contact your Honor Society Advisor for information on other regalia such as cords. For international sashes, contact Paige Ramsey-Hamacher at paige.ramsey-hamacher@saintleo.edu in Center for Global Engagement. For Veteran cords, contact Luke McClees at ernest.mcclees@saintleo.edu. Honor cords are not given for Latin honors.
PARKING
Graduates donning their regalia will be granted complimentary parking. Other vehicles will pay $8 each to park (Cash Only).
LIVE STREAM
Friends and family who are not able to attend the ceremony in person may watch via live streaming video. A link to access the live stream will be posted on the day of the ceremony at www.saintleo.edu.
ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES
If you or your guests require disability-related accommodations to participate in the commencement ceremony, please contact the Office of Accessibility Services at 352-588-8464 or adaoffice@saintleo.edu no later than (2 weeks before commencement date).
We are working diligently to set the details of the ceremony and will communicate with you as soon as possible. Continue to check your email and our website at www.saintleo.edu/florida-commencement for updates.
| Location | Ceremony Date | Application Deadline | Commencement Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa, Florida | May 21 & 22 | Registration is closed | Florida State Fairgrounds |
| Key West, Florida | May 14, 2021 | March 26, 2021 | To Be Determined |
| Corpus Christi, Texas | May 22, 2021 | April 23, 2021 | Chapel |
| Savannah, Georgia | June 11, 2021 | April 30, 2021 | Johnny Mercer Theatre |
Applications for the 2021 Commencement ceremonies at the Center locations are still open!
While Saint Leo University is making every effort to hold in-person Commencement ceremonies in 2021, it is important to note that new developments with the COVID-19 pandemic may require us to change or postpone our plans.
Commencement Application: A completed application is required to participate in a commencement ceremony. To be eligible to participate you must:
To access the Commencement application, please follow these steps:
After the application is submitted, you should receive an email confirmation to your Saint Leo email account. The eForm system also stores a copy of your submitted application located under “Activity.” Continue to check your Saint Leo email and this Commencement website for additional information regarding Commencement planning, including ceremony details and information about ordering regalia.
Degree Conferral Application: A separate degree conferral application is required of ALL students to confer their degree and issue the diploma. This application is in addition to the Commencement application. The degree conferral application and graduation fee ($125.00) must be submitted through the eLion portal prior to April 2021. The degree conferral application and fee are required regardless of your participation in Commencement.
Contact your education center or the Registrar’s Office (commencement@saintleo.edu) should you have any questions
In July 2020, the Saint Leo University community held a virtual celebration to recognize the accomplishments of the Class of 2020. The celebration features speeches from Saint Leo University administration, students, faculty, and more, and recognizes each graduate by name. You can view the celebration here:
