As Florida State University celebrates its 175th anniversary, commencement remains one of its most enduring traditions — a moment of joy, reflection and possibility that connects today’s graduates to those who came before them.
Each ceremony links today’s graduates to generations of students who walked the same paths, studied under the same live oaks, carrying their hopes into the world with a diploma in hand.
The story of commencement at Florida State begins well before the university took its modern name. In 1857, the West Florida Seminary held classes for the first time on the hill where the Westcott Building now stands, a site now recognized as the oldest continuous location of higher education in Florida. Those early ceremonies were small, but the purpose was clear: Education could change lives.
On June 24, 1880, Eugenia “Jeannie” Tatum was awarded Diploma No. 1. Tatum studied English and became the first graduate of the institution.
By the 1880s and 1890s, as the seminary evolved into Florida State College, commencement became more formal. Class sizes were small, but the institution was growing into its role as a center of learning in Florida. Early ceremonies often centered on the Westcott grounds, a gathering place that remains one of the symbolic hearts of campus today.
The women’s college era
The Buckman Act of 1905 reshaped higher education in Florida and transformed the Tallahassee campus into Florida State College for Women. The Class of 1905 marked a turning point in commencement history. It was the last coeducational graduating class until Florida State University was established in 1947, and it was the first class to wear caps and gowns.
For more than four decades, FSCW celebrated commencements that reflected the strength of one of the nation’s leading women’s colleges. Many of the ceremonial elements familiar today — the academic procession, faculty regalia and formal program of exercises — took shape during those years.
By the 1930s, commencement had grown into a major campus event, and the college earned its Phi Beta Kappa chapter in 1935, signaling national academic distinction.
A modern university emerges
Another turning point came in 1947, when FSCW became Florida State University and opened its doors to men just as thousands of veterans sought degrees under the GI Bill. The graduating senior women of that year held a unique distinction: They were the only class to receive diplomas bearing the names of both institutions: Florida State College for Women and Florida State University.
The first coeducational commencement of the modern university marked the beginning of a new era and a period of rapid growth.
During the decades that followed, many of the traditions familiar to graduates today began to take shape.
The campus itself was changing as well. In August 1965, then-FSU President John Champion presented a diploma to Maxwell Courtney, the first Black student to earn an undergraduate degree at Florida State University.
As Florida State expanded in the 1970s and 1980s, commencement ceremonies grew as well, welcoming thousands of graduates each year and drawing nationally known speakers and alumni back to campus. During these years, ceremonies also began featuring members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida serving as honor guard, reflecting the respected relationship between the university and the Tribe.
Voices from the commencement stage
One of the most memorable moments came in 1981 when alumnus Burt Reynolds, the Hollywood actor and former Seminole football player, returned to campus to speak at commencement and receive an honorary doctorate from Florida State University.
Reynolds often spoke about what FSU meant to him. In the foreword to Seminole History, published in 1987, he wrote: “I’ve been lucky enough and fortunate enough to have done a lot of things in my life. I’ve been No. 1 in the world for five years in motion pictures, and if I had to trade any one of those years for any one of my years at Florida State, I wouldn’t.”
Florida State commencements have also featured leaders from government, science and public life. In 1994, the university awarded an honorary degree to Rosa Parks in recognition of her lifelong leadership in the civil rights movement. Madeleine Albright, then U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, addressed graduates in 1995. Two years later, Albright became the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state.
Alumna Sylvia Earle — the renowned marine biologist, ocean explorer and environmental advocate — returned in 2000 as a commencement speaker. A former chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and founder of Mission Blue, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting ocean ecosystems, Earle reflected the university’s growing emphasis on science, research and environmental stewardship.
The 2004 ceremony featured Dick Cheney, then vice president of the United States. Cheney recalled that during the 2000 presidential campaign he had been asked by George W. Bush to lead the search for a running mate, a search that ultimately ended with Bush selecting him. “If you’re ever asked to head up an important search committee,” Cheney told graduates, “say yes.”
Graduates also heard from accomplished alumni in the years that followed. In 2011, Hall of Fame baseball manager and FSU College of Law graduate Tony La Russa spoke about responsibility and the opportunities that come after college, telling students: “You’re only as good as your next success.”
A year later, longtime ESPN analyst and former Seminole football player and coach Lee Corso addressed the Class of 2012, emphasizing character, integrity and relationships. The university awarded him an honorary doctorate.
Another beloved figure returned to the stage in 2014 when legendary Seminoles football coach Bobby Bowden received an honorary doctorate from the university. Speaking to graduates, he reminded them that success begins with the choices they make and the character they carry. “Your character is much more important than your reputation,” Bowden said. “Your reputation is what people think about you. Your character is what you really are.”
That same year, Florida State recognized Louise Jones Gopher, a member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Gopher was honored for her work in advancing education, preserving tribal culture and strengthening the relationship between the university and the Tribe. A lifelong advocate for learning, she helped develop educational programs for Seminole youth and played a role in shaping FSU’s course on Seminole history. Addressing graduates at commencement, she encouraged them to value their heritage and carry their knowledge forward.
The following year, in 2015, retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly, former commander of U.S. Southern Command, addressed graduates. Kelly later served as White House chief of staff from 2017 to 2019. In his remarks, he reminded students of the responsibility that comes with opportunity, telling them: “There is an exceptionalism about this country we should cherish and not hesitate for a second to admit to who we are and why we are. You are so extraordinary.”
More recently, in 2024, former Seminoles quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner and NBA player Charlie Ward returned to campus to address summer graduates, encouraging them to approach life with discipline, preparation and thoughtful decision-making.
In recent years, Florida State has also welcomed current members of its Board of Trustees to the commencement stage, including Chair Peter Collins, Vice Chair Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz, Brian Murphy and Jim Henderson.
A tradition that continues
Commencement ceremonies today are major university events, held at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. Doctoral hooding ceremonies have grown alongside FSU’s expanding research mission.
For decades, Florida State has also invited its Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor — recipient of the university’s highest faculty honor — to address graduates.
Modern commencements conclude with graduates, families and faculty standing together to sing the Hymn to the Garnet and Gold, a moment that has become the emotional centerpiece of the event.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected changes in 2020, when FSU moved to virtual ceremonies. In 2021, in-person commencements returned as 11 smaller, socially distanced events held over two weekends, followed by three ceremonies a month later to honor the Class of 2020.
FSU has set multiple graduation records in the past decade. In Spring 2025, the university conferred 8,926 degrees, the largest graduating class in its history. By Fall 2025, the university had surpassed 420,000 alumni worldwide.
The tradition continues to evolve with each new class. During this spring’s commencement ceremonies, entrepreneur Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, will return to campus to receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, recognizing her impact as a business leader and one of Florida State’s most prominent alumni.
From Diploma No. 1 in 1880 to thousands of graduates each year today, commencement has kept its meaning. For generations, it has honored those who came before and sent a new generation of Seminoles into the future.
For information about FSU’s Spring 2026 Commencement, visit commencement.fsu.edu.
Florida State University’s past decade of commencement speakers
Florida State University has welcomed a wide range of distinguished leaders, alumni, faculty and public servants to address its graduates. The list below highlights commencement speakers by semester, beginning in 2016.
Spring 2016
- J. Marshall Shepherd, director of University of Georgia Atmospheric Sciences Program
- Jeffrey Dewey Gargiulo Sr., award-winning vintner, Gargiulo Vineyards
- Miguel “Mike” B. Fernandez, chairman of MBF Healthcare Partners
Summer 2016
- Nancy McKay, CEO of NEST Fragrances
Fall 2016
- Joseph Schlenoff, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor, Leo Mandelkern Professor of Polymer Science
- Bob Sasser, FSU Board of Trustees, CEO of Dollar Tree
Spring 2017
- Wendy Ludlow Clark, CEO of DDB North America
- Michael Goldberg, CEO of Zimmerman
- Brian P. Murphy, founder and CEO of ReliaQuest
Summer 2017
- Mike Martin, head coach of FSU baseball
Fall 2017
- Jeffrey Chanton, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor, John Widmer Winchester Professor of Oceanography
- Judy Sutherland Schmeling, COO of HSN Inc., and president of Cornerstone Brands catalog division
Spring 2018
- Julie Dunn Eichenberg, vice president of brand distribution of Turner Content Distribution
- John T. Rivers, founder and CEO of 4R Restaurant Group
- Jim Jenkins, North America CEO of Universities East, Sodexo
Summer 2018
- Jorge Gonzalez, FSU Board of Trustees, President and CEO of the The St. Joe Company
Fall 2018
- Pamela L. Perrewé, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor, Haywood and Betty Taylor Eminent Scholar of Business Administration
- Lonni Alameda, Head coach of FSU women’s softball, 2018 national champions
Spring 2019
- John W. Thiel, FSU Board of Trustees, Large Firm Governor of FINRA
- David B. Lane, chair, FSU Foundation Board of Trustees, President and COO, of Terlato Wines
- John E. Dailey, mayor of Tallahassee
Summer 2019
- Allan G. Bense, FSU Board of Trustees, former speaker, Florida House of Representatives
- LTC (R) John B. Crowe Sr., former chairman and CEO of Buckeye Technologies
Fall 2019
- Timothy A. Cross, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor, Earl Frieden Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Nina Ashenafi-Richardson, County judge, Second Judicial Circuit
Spring 2020
- Mark Zeigler, Teaching professor, FSU School of Communication
Summer 2020
- J. Leonard Hamilton, head coach of FSU men’s basketball
Fall 2020
- Sharon E. Nicholson, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor, Heinz and Katharina Lettau Professor of Climatology
Spring 2021
- John Thrasher, President of Florida State University
Summer 2021
- John Thrasher, President of Florida State University
Fall 2021
- Gary Taylor, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor, Dahl and Lottie Pryor Professor of Shakespearean Literature
- Jorge Piekarewicz, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor, Professor of Physics
Spring 2022
- Peter Collins, FSU Board of Trustees chair, co-founder and managing principal of Forge Capital Partners
- Andrea K. Friall, vice president and CMO of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Physician Group
- Angela Riley Santone, senior executive vice president for human resources of AT&T
- Laura H. Greene, Marie Krafft Professor of Physics and chief scientist
- Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz, FSU Board of Trustees, Partner, Holland & Knight
Summer 2022
- Melanie S. Griffin, secretary of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Fall 2022
- Maxine L. Montgomery, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor, Professor of English
- William T. Hold, Retired president the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research
Spring 2023
- Jimmy Patronis, Florida chief financial officer
- Sue Semrau, Retired head women’s basketball coach, Florida State University
- Joe Camps, FSU Board of Trustees, vice president and chief academic officer of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare
- Nan Casper Hillis, Retired senior banking executive
Summer 2023
- Madeline Pumariega, president of Miami Dade College
Fall 2023
- Lilian Garcia-Roig, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Art
- Edward E. Burr, FSU Board of Trustees, president and CEO of GreenPointe Holdings
Spring 2024
- Donna Deegan, mayor of Jacksonville
- Odell Haggins, associate head coach and defensive tackles coach, FSU football
- Christopher Iansiti, founder and president of Iansiti Performance Group; chairman, FSU Foundation Board
- Rep. Neal Dunn, U.S. House of Representatives
- James Seneff, executive chairman and director of CNL Financial Group
Summer 2024
- Tim Cerio, president and CEO of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
- Charlie Ward, Heisman winner and quarterback of 1993 FSU national championship football team
Fall 2024
- Jack Campbell, state attorney, Second Judicial Circuit
- Harrison Prosper, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Physics
Spring 2025
- Ash Williams, former executive director of Small Business Administration
- Ken Jones, Founder and president of Third Lake Capital
- Mel Stith, former dean of FSU College of Business
- Ricky Polston, former justice of Florida Supreme Court
- Cecile Reynaud, former FSU head volleyball coach
Summer 2025
- Pam Keel, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology
- Jim Henderson, FSU Board of Trustees, chairman and CEO of AssuredPartners
Fall 2025
- Rep. Lawrence McClure, Florida House of Representatives
- J. Leonard Hamilton, retired head men’s basketball coach at Florida State University
Spring 2026
- Sara Blakely, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, inventor, philanthropist and founder of Spanx and Sneex
- Lt. General Sean Ferrell, deputy commanding general of U.S. Special Operations Command
- Rep. Daniel Perez, speaker of the Florida House of Representatives