‘Pomp and Circumstance’ and diplomas on tap for Friday

Malcolm Harvey
·2 min read
Florida State University graduates are recognized as they walk across the stage during the Spring 2022 Commencement Ceremony Saturday, April 30, 2022.
Florida State University graduates are recognized as they walk across the stage during the Spring 2022 Commencement Ceremony Saturday, April 30, 2022.

Friday is shaping up to be a grand day of celebrations in the capital city as Florida State and Florida A&M universities host summer graduation ceremonies at the Tucker Center and the Lawson Center, respectively.

Each university is bringing in accomplished alumna to offers words of encouragement to the summer Class of 22 grads.

Florida State University

Florida State is holding ceremonies at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Tucker Civic Center. It plans to award 3,018 degrees including 1,743 undergraduate degrees, 1,034 masters and specialist degrees, 163 doctoral degrees, 76 Juris Masters and two L.L.M degrees.

The 2 p.m. commencement will honor the graduates of the Dedman College of Hospitality, Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, College of Applied Sciences, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, College of Nursing, College of Business, College of Music, College of Health & Human Sciences and College of Education.

The 7 p.m. commencement will honor graduates of the College of Medicine, College of Motion Picture Arts, College of Fine Arts, College of Communication and Information, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, College of Social Work, College of Law and College of Arts and Sciences.

Melanie Griffin
Melanie Griffin

Melanie Griffin, a triple graduate of Florida State University and Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, will address both ceremonies.

Griffin earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from FSU’s College of Business then later, obtained a master’s degree and a juris doctor (JD-MBA) in business administration with FSU’s College of Law in a joint pathway.

Florida A&M University

At 6 p.m. Friday, Florida A&M University will be honoring approximately 450 graduates from the university’s more than a dozen colleges and schools.

FAMU alumna and former Florida Deputy Department of Health Secretary Shamarial Roberson is the keynote speaker.

Shamarial Roberson
Shamarial Roberson

Roberson now serves as president of Health and Human Services at Indelible Business Solutions. Her higher education studies began at Florida State University, where she completed two degrees: a bachelor’s in Family and Child Services and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy. She later earned a Doctor of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Florida A&M University.

“Dr. Roberson was instrumental in the establishment of FAMU’s community-based COVID-19 testing site originally located at Bragg Memorial Stadium in April 2020 and our vaccination site in February 2021 … with more than 650,000 tests and 26,000 vaccines administered on this campus to date,” FAMU President Larry Robinson said in a news release.

Both universities strongly encourage attendees to wear masks inside the buildings.

Contact Democrat writer Malcolm Harvey at malcolm1.harvey@famu.edu.

For more information

 Visit commencement.fsu.edu for available livestream coverage of both commencement ceremonies for Florida State.

Visit //www.FAMU.edu/commencement for information on FAMU’s ceremony.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ and diplomas on tap for Friday at FSU, FAMU