FSU to Surpass 400,000 Living Alumni
The first female president of Miami Dade College (MDC) will be the featured speaker during Florida State University’s two summer commencement ceremonies Friday, Aug. 4.
Madeline Pumariega, who leads one of the nation’s largest and most diverse educational institutions, will address graduates at the 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. ceremonies.
President Richard McCullough will preside over both ceremonies and a doctoral hooding ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 4, for Ph.D. graduates from all disciplines. All ceremonies will take place at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St.
This summer, more than 2,900 students will graduate with their degrees: 1,741 bachelor’s degrees, 932 master’s/specialist degrees and 164 doctoral degrees. The College of Law will confer 119 degrees. The Office of the University Registrar estimates 1,853 students will participate in the three ceremonies.
President Pumariega has served as president of MDC since January 2021, following a two-year stint as executive vice president and provost at Tallahassee Community College. Her love for academics and service excellence began as a student at MDC, where she later spent more than 20 years in positions of ascending responsibility, including serving as president of the college’s Wolfson Campus.
After two years as president and CEO of Take Stock in Children, a statewide nonprofit, President Pumariega was appointed the first female and Hispanic chancellor of the Florida College System (FCS) in August 2015. During her tenure, several of the FCS’s 28 colleges, which serve 800,000 students, rose in the rankings of U.S. News & World Report, as well as other national measures. President Pumariega also serves as affiliate professor of leadership at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Summer commencement will also mark a historic milestone for Florida State University as its total alumni base surpasses 400,000 living graduates worldwide, reflecting the university’s commitment to student excellence and expanding its global community of talented alumni.
The FSU Alumni Association will celebrate the occasion with commencement activities throughout the day. All graduates of FSU are considered members of the FSU Alumni Association; no dues are required, and alumni are encouraged to get involved at alumni.fsu.edu.
For more information and livestreaming links, visit commencement.fsu.edu.