Graduation Ceremony

Graduation ceremonies are held in the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center located at 505 West Pensacola Street. Panama City (FL) students can find information about the annual Panama City Spring graduation ceremony on their website.

If you are a registered FSU student attending a commencement ceremony and require accommodations, please contact the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) at 850-644-9566 or oas@fsu.edu in advance to make special arrangements. If you are a guest attending a commencement ceremony and require accommodations, please visit Guest Services at the Civic Center during the event for assistance.

An ASL interpreter may be provided upon request with 2 weeks notice in advance. Closed captioning is also provided on the arena corner boards.

NOTE: Before degrees are awarded, your final semester grades must be recorded and records rechecked for total hours, quality points, and other degree requirements. PARTICIPATION IN GRADUATION EXERCISES IS NOT A GUARANTEE OF GRADUATION.

Prohibited Items.

For the safety and security of our guests and graduates, a list of prohibited items is provided below. Additional items may be prohibited at the discretion of the law enforcement officials as directed by increased threat conditions.

Alcohol or illegal drugs Video equipment, tape recorders, cameras with tripods, GoPros, selfie sticks, or lenses longer than 6" Weapons or explosives of any kind; Fireworks Any flags, banners, posters or signs (with or without sticks or poles)
Food and beverages from outside the Tucker Center Skateboards Pets (except service animals) Bags larger than 12" x 6" x 12" or backpacks of any kind
Coolers or containers, including cans, cups, bottles, glass or glass vases Beach balls or other airborne objects Laser pointers Sticks or poles of any kind
Artificial noisemakers (whistles, bells, air horns, etc.) Laptops Wallet chains; Long chains/sharp spikes Chairs, folding chairs, or any other type of chair for individual use

NOTE: All graduates and guests will be required to pass through metal detectors prior to entering the Civic Center. Security personnel will remove students or guests disrupting the ceremony.

Commencement Program

Upon arrival at any graduation ceremony, FSU graduates are offered a professionally produced, keepsake commencement program.

You will find your name, degree/s, major/s, honors, and additional credentials and organizations (where applicable) printed in this commencement program unless you previously submitted a FERPA request to prevent the release or publication of your directory information.

If you did restrict publication of your directory information, prior to your graduation date our office will send you an email communicating the deadline by which you can request that we add your name and graduation-related data to the commencement program.

If you have any questions regarding your previously submitted directive to prevent the release or publication of your directory information, please contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Ceremony Etiquette

The Commencement Ceremony's dignified traditions and regalia date from the thirteenth century. We expect all participants to exhibit courteous behavior and to observe the decorum merited by the occasion. Thank you for familiarizing yourself with the following notes on etiquette.

Arrival. Doors open one hour before the ceremony begins. Please arrive no later than 30 minutes before the ceremony begins. Please have the Grad Pass ready to be scanned before arriving at the entrance of the venue. All graduates must present their Grad Pass and a photo ID to enter the Tucker Center. Plan to arrive carrying your gown. Caps can be worn before entry. You will be able to dress in your regalia after you enter.

Civic Center

Seating. If you RSVP to attend the ceremony, you will receive an email notification before the event that includes your seating assignment. After you find your seat, you may not walk around in the arena.

Departing. Graduates are expected to stay for the duration of the ceremony. The ceremony will last about an hour and a half.

Sanctioned Cords & Medallions

Students may wear only approved cords or medallions with their regalia. These include:

  • Degrees of Distinction Cords
    • Cum Laude (gold cord)
    • Magna Cum Laude (garnet cord)
    • Summa Cum Laude (garnet and gold cord)
  • Student Veterans Center
    • red, white, and blue cord
  • University Honors Program
    • medallion
  • Honors in the Major
    • medallion
  • Any cord, medallion, or stole from one of the twelve university-wide honor societies denoting academic achievement (scholastic or leadership honor societies). See https://honorsocieties.fsu.edu for the list of honor societies.

No other cord, medallion, or stole is permitted to be worn at the commencement ceremony.

Photos

GradImages Photography wil take several pictures of you during the ceremony. Following commencement, GradImages photographers will be circulating outside the venue to capture additional candid photographs of our graduates with their loved ones. The GradImages staff will be wearing red vests, so they'll be highly visible and easy to locate. Graduates can expect to receive their individual picture proofs by email within 18 to 24 hours of the graduation ceremony. Additionally, paper proofs are mailed through the U.S. Postal Service and can be expected to arrive within three or four days. Direct any questions about your photos to GradImages by calling (800) 261-2576 or by contacting a representative through their website.

Guests

  • All Tucker Center doors open one hour prior to the start of the ceremony.
  • Enter ONLY on the Concourse Level of the Tucker Center.
  • At no time are guests permitted on the arena floor.
  • Accessibility seating is available on the Concourse Level; approach the Tucker Center from the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Madison Street. Tucker Center parking is available at that entrance.

Guests should not leave until the ceremony concludes. Leaving causes disruption and noise, which disturbs those families whose graduate has not yet been recognized. Please arrange to meet your families at designated areas outside the civic center (i.e., flagpoles, plaza, gates).

Parking

Several parking options are available on days scheduled for commencement ceremonies. Please consult this detailed map for directions and additional instructions.