FGCU to celebrate graduates at in-person ceremony

Florida Gulf Coast University is hosting an in-person graduation Friday, but it will look quite different from past ceremonies.

All the speakers will be virtual, but students will at least have the chance to celebrate their accomplishments, walk across the stage and have family watch them get their diploma.

It seems as though the students were pretty happy about this condensed option because about 70% of the graduates signed up to walk. It will be a reduced capacity but fortunately, each graduate will be able to have four guests in the arena.

Face masks are required and each student has an appointment time to get their diploma.

President Mike Martin said the two happiest times of the year are when students come back in the fall and Graduation Day. He’s happy to welcome that energy back, even if it comes with some changes.

“We pre-taped all of the program itself and kept that to a minimum but each student will be able to, over a period of several days in smaller groups, cross the stage, be seen and photographed if they choose by their families, and therefore have the chance to be acknowledged by having completed their degree,” he said.

Alec Marsh is among the graduating class. The senior biology student made it his mission to study reptiles on FGCU’s massive campus. He helped with conservation efforts, tracking reptiles and studying their patterns.

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