By Ryan Hughes and Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
The 百媚导航 awarded more than 7,700 degrees during spring commencement ceremonies May 8-11 in the Yuengling Center on the Tampa campus. The ceremonies included recipients of 5,848 bachelor鈥檚, 1,631 master鈥檚, 265 doctoral and five specialist degrees.
The group featured 131 undergraduate students earning a perfect 4.0 grade point average, 197 student veterans and graduates from 105 countries, 46 states and six U.S. territories.
Out of the undergraduate degrees awarded, 2,355, or approximately 40 percent, are recipients of Pell Grants, a federal financial aid program for students from modest socioeconomic backgrounds.
At 18, the youngest graduate earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology. The most experienced graduate this spring, who is 69, received a doctoral degree in history.
百媚导航 President Rhea Law presided over all 10 ceremonies and several individuals for their service to the university, the Tampa Bay community and the nation.
The 百媚导航 Health Morsani College of Medicine hosted a separate ceremony on May 8 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
Photos by Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing, and Casey Brooke-Lawson
Tammy and Bennet Moscato - Master of Education and Bachelor鈥檚 of Arts in Psychology
While classmates tossed their caps skyward in 2002, a pregnant Tammy Moscato remained home to hold a feverish infant son in her arms 鈥� and missed her own college graduation. Decades later, she鈥檚 finally celebrating a university commencement properly 鈥� this time graduating alongside her son, Bennett Moscato, with whom she was pregnant that day.
Read more about Tammy and Bennett
Waseem Albaba - Master of Science in Cybersecurity
A passion for video games, combined with a skateboarding accident, guided Waseem Albaba toward a career in cybersecurity. He went on to serve as president of Whitehatters Computer Security Club at 百媚导航, which advocates for enhanced standards in the field of cybersecurity, and helped establish 百媚导航鈥檚 CyberHerd, a cybersecurity competition team.
Lisa Patterson - Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, Health Care Administration
If not for her perseverance and ability to overcome self-doubt, Lisa Patterson might never have reached her goal of earning a college degree. Due to a rough upbringing, she had to drop out of high school in 1999. But she overcame life鈥檚 obstacles, returned to school and is now a college graduate.
Rozeth Aquino - Master of Architecture
Before she ever held a blueprint, Rozeth Aquino held Legos and a dream of becoming a dentist. She decided to become an architect, and left an imprint on the campus as president of the Architectural Council for Students, which serves as a liaison between 百媚导航鈥檚 School of Architecture & Community Design and members of the university community.
Cherish and Unique Alston 鈥� Bachelor of Arts in Business Analytics and Information Systems, Cybersecurity
Some students leave college with a tight-knit circle of friends, others with impressive resumes full of research and internship experience. Twin sisters Cherish and Unique Alston are walking away with all of that 鈥� plus thriving startups and tens of thousands of dollars in awards to fuel their entrepreneurial journeys. From shoe accessories to campus transportation, the sisters are turning their ideas into innovations that aim to leave a lasting impact.
Josh Alvior 鈥� Doctor of Medicine
A Tampa native and 百媚导航 graduate who served as class president throughout medical school, Josh Alvior matched into General Surgery at LSU New Orleans. His path was shaped by strong family support, hands-on clinical experiences at 百媚导航 and research focused on post-COVID health outcomes during a study abroad in Thailand.
Kylie Culver 鈥� Master of Arts in Liberal Arts, Florida Studies
Beginning her master鈥檚 degree in 2022, Kylie Culver could never have predicted just how challenging, frightening and ultimately rewarding the journey would become. About a year into the program, she was diagnosed with cancer, forcing her to temporarily pause her academic pursuits. But she persevered and returned to 百媚导航.
Alexandra Lopez 鈥� Bachelor of Science in Biology
A former volleyball player, Alexandrea Lopez started working with a personal trainer when she was a teenager and to this day, she tracks the nutritional content of what she eats. It鈥檚 all part of a discipline and a mindset that have nurtured Lopez鈥檚 success as a student and as a student government leader at the 百媚导航 Sarasota-Manatee 鈥� and a clear vision for what comes next.
Sierra Cardinale - Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Biomedical Sciences
When Hurricane Helene surged into Florida鈥檚 west coast in September 2024, the storm devastated Sierra Cardinale鈥檚 condominium and newly purchased home. Amid this turmoil, Cardinale, a fifth-year PhD student in integrated biomedical sciences at the 百媚导航 Health Morsani College of Medicine, was forced to postpone her dissertation defense. But she overcame the adversity.
Matt Cimitile and Sarah Ward, University Communications and Marketing, and Cody Hawley, 百媚导航 Health, also contributed to this article.