Florida Commencement Ceremonies

Congratulations! 

The Florida Commencement Ceremony will be held at the Florida State Fairgrounds-Expo Hall in Tampa on May 2, 2020 (the registration deadline is December 9, 2019). Guest tickets are NOT required for the Commencement ceremony at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

The Baccalaureate Mass and Saint Leo Under the Stars, a celebration for graduates and their families, will be held Friday, May 1, 2020 at University Campus.

Baccalaureate Mass will be held in the Marion Bowman Activities Center, on Friday, May 1, 2020, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The Saint Leo Under the Stars reception celebrating our graduates will start immediately following Mass, or at 6:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Contact your center or the Registrar’s Office (commencement@saintleo.edu) with questions.

Event Information

The Commencement Ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2020 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/. Please see the schedule below:

Morning Ceremony
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
University Campus Undergraduate (Bachelor and Associate) students
Center for Online Learning Undergraduate (Bachelor and Associate) students

Afternoon Ceremony
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Worldwide Education Center (Bachelor and Associate) students
Doctoral students
Graduate (Master) students

A detailed schedule of when and where to report will be sent in a letter closer to the ceremony date. Guests may arrive one hour prior to the start of each ceremony and should be seated within 15 minutes of the ceremony start time.

Tickets
Guest tickets are NOT required. 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.

Parking
Parking is complimentary for the graduate. All other guest vehicles will pay $8 to park (Cash Only).

Regalia
A Herff Jones representative will be at the Campus Store on February 17 and 18, 2020, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

You may also order and pay for your academic regalia online directly from Herff Jones at www.herffjones.com/college/slu. To pick up your regalia at the Main University Campus in Saint Leo, FL, choose FLORIDA CAMPUS from the dropdown menu when ordering. Additional pickup information will be sent later. You can have your regalia sent directly to your home via regular or express shipping methods by selecting the HOMESHIP option. Announcements and other items are available for sale on the Herff Jones website. Announcements will be shipped to your home, even if you order a package that includes regalia. Order by February 17, 2020 for possible discounts. Contact the Campus Store at (352) 588-8344 with questions.

The deadline to order your academic regalia is March 13, 2020. Regalia is required to 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. For assistance in person, please feel free to visit Student Financial Services located in Saint Edward’s Hall at University Campus.

What to Bring
Be sure to bring your regalia. Academic regalia is required to participate in the Baccalaureate Mass and the Commencement Ceremony. The Commencement line-up and processional will require graduates to be on their feet for an extended period of time, 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.

What NOT to Bring
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.

Weather
The Commencement Ceremony will take place rain or shine (hopefully it will be a sun-shiny Florida day). The Expo Hall is indoors so the ceremony will not be impacted by the weather. Always account for traffic.

Accommodations
For additional information about local hotels near Saint Leo visit our website: http://www.saintleo.edu/about/visitor-information/nearby-accommodations.aspx. Or to find accommodations closer to the Florida State Fair Grounds, visit: https://floridastatefair.com/lodging/.  

Live Stream
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.

Finally, if your plans have changed and you no longer intend to attend commencement, please notify the Registrar’s Office at (352) 588-8460 or send an email to commencement@saintleo.edu. If you require disability accommodations to participate, please contact ADAOffice@saintleo.edu. Visit www.saintleo.edu/commencement  anytime for information and updates regarding the ceremony.