Auto Graduation and Commencement Ceremony

Suncoast Credit Union Arena

Welcome Soon to Be FSW College Graduates,

This webpage is designed to provide you with updates for the Spring 2019 Commencement Ceremony as well as quick links to order commencement supplies and other important information.

Commencement Aerial Map

Commencement Ceremony Information & Application

Announcements

This year FSW is proud to host the Spring Commencement Ceremony at our Suncoast Credit Union Arena, located on the Thomas Edison (Lee) Campus in Fort Myers.

There will be two ceremonies on May 3rd 2019. The program in which you graduate will determine what time you commence. You must apply by 4:30pm on Friday, March 29th to participate in commencement.

Spring 2019 Commencement Ceremony Information

Location:
Suncoast Credit Union Arena
13551 FSW Pkwy
Fort Myers, FL 33919

School of Business and Technology, School of Education, School of Health Professions, School of Pure and Applied Sciences

All Baccalaureate, Associate in Science Degrees and most Certificates

Thursday, May 2, 2019

5:00 p.m. Rehearsal

This event is exclusive to graduates only, attendance is mandatory.

  • Join in on the fun with your fellow Buccaneers to celebrate your hard earned degree! Get last minute regalia and FSW swag! There will be live music, free food, refreshments, and giveaways!
  • Casual attire
Friday, May 3, 2019

8:30 a.m. Graduate Check in
10:00 a.m. Ceremony Begins

  • Do family or friends need tickets for admission to the arena? No
  • Is there a guest limit of people we can invite? No
  • Will there be ADA seating/parking? Yes

School of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

All Associate in Arts Degrees and Audio Technology Certificates

Thursday, May 2, 2019

5:00 p.m. Rehearsal

This event is exclusive to graduates only, attendance is mandatory.

  • Join in on the fun with your fellow Buccaneers to celebrate your hard earned degree! Get last minute regalia and FSW swag! There will be live music, free food, refreshments, and giveaways!
  • Casual attire

Friday, May 3, 2019

12:00 p.m. Graduate Check in
2:00 p.m. Ceremony Begins

  • Do family or friends need tickets for admission to the arena? No
  • Is there a guest limit of people we can invite? No
  • Will there be ADA seating/parking? Yes
All seating and parking is first come first served
Please note:
  • Please refer to the college catalog or to your academic advisor if you are unsure which ceremony to attend.
  • There is no fee to participate in Commencement. Students are required however, to order their cap and gown.
  • All graduates and their guests are asked to remain throughout the entire ceremony.
  • There is no guest limit in attendance for the ceremony.
The deadline to register for commencement is 4:30pm on Friday March 29th, 2019.

All correspondence regarding graduation, commencement ceremony, and regalia will be sent via your BUCS email.

Cap & Gown, Seating Arrangements, Photographs, Live Streaming & More

Caps, Gowns and other Regalia

Graduates! You can now order your official FSW cap, gown and commencement regalia easily online.

Please visit https://collegegrad.herffjones.com/

Just type “Florida SouthWestern” in the search box and you will be taken directly to more information on packages and pricing.

Order by March 15th and get $10 off the cost for your cap, gown, and tassel! Don’t wait! Online ordering ends March 17th.

The FSW bookstore will have cap and gowns ready for pick up beginning April 22nd. You will have the option to select which campus is most convenient for you when completing your online order.

For graduates unable to order online by March 17th, you may purchase in person at your nearest campus beginning April 22nd – May 2nd.

Seating Arrangements

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Limited ADA seating and parking is also available. In order for the college to effectively accommodate guests with disabilities, ADA attendees are permitted to have only one family member to accompany them in the designated area. We would like to thank you in advance for honoring the procedure as it helps ensure that those who require ADA seating have the opportunity to participate equally.

If other accommodations are needed, please contact the Office of Adaptive Services at 239-432-7354 or TTY1-800-955-8771.

Photographs

Proofs of your graduation pictures will be emailed approximately 10 business days after commencement.

For more information, please visit https://Events.Lifetouch.com/FSW

Live Stream Commencement

Guest unable to attend commencement may live stream the ceremony via the FSW website. Click here to live stream each commencement:
https://www.fsw.edu/livestream/

Keep in Touch

We invite you to stay connected with the College, and consider joining the Alumni Network after graduation. For more information about the Alumni Network and benefits offered, visit www.fsw.edu/alumni and join. Membership is free.

We wish you the very best in all your future endeavors.
Go Bucs!

Graduation Information

Graduation Eligibility

Graduation requirements must be satisfied in order for graduation to be complete and a diploma issued. Students who are unsure if all requirements are met should contact Academic Advising.

It is important to note that participation in the Spring Commencement Ceremony does not ensure that a student’s degree has been awarded. Students must complete all academic requirements in order to be eligible to have a degree awarded.

Diplomas

All graduates will receive their diploma in the mail approximately 6-8 weeks after the beginning of the next semester. Diplomas will be mailed to the address you have on file.

Financial Obligations

All candidates for graduation should pay all fees, fines and other obligations at the Cashier’s Office. Your diploma cannot be released until all financial obligations have been met. This is a requirement for graduation, and degree candidates should contact the Cashier’s Office if they have any questions concerning financial obligations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Auto Graduation

Effective summer 2016, graduation at FSW is an automatic process, streamlining the necessary steps for students and ensuring their transcripts reflect the degree or certificate earned. Students will be automatically graduated upon completing all degree requirements, and diplomas will be mailed to the address on file.

Students may opt out of the automatic process by contacting the registrar's office. By opting out of auto-graduation a student is indicating that he/she does not want their certificate or degree to be awarded and assigned to their academic record.

What are the differences between Graduation, Diploma, and Commencement?

Graduation is the term used to refer to the actual completion of your degree or certificate. Once you have been graduated, your transcript will note that a degree or certification was awarded and the date it was awarded.

Diploma is the term used to refer to the paper document that shows you have graduated from a particular program of study at FSW. You will receive your official diploma approximately 6-8 weeks after graduation. It will be mailed to the address you have on file.

Contact the Registrar's office to make changes to personal information. Documentation is required.

Commencement is the ceremony held once a year at the close of the spring semester for graduates from all campuses celebrating their academic achievement. Students have the option of participating. If the student chooses to participate, the student must complete and submit the Commencement application through the portal. There is no cost to participate other than the cost of the required cap and gown, which can be purchased at any FSW bookstore.

(Please Note: participating in the Commencement ceremony does not ensure graduation. Graduation requirements must be satisfied in order for graduation to be completed and a diploma issued.)

When will my transcript reflect my degree status?

Graduation notations will be added to the student's transcript within 3-4 weeks after the term in which the student has met their program's requirements. Students can check their status by reviewing their on-line unofficial transcript.

What are “honors” and how is that determined?

Graduates receive honors recognition based on their cumulative GPA at the end of the preceding semester, since all grades will not have been processed prior to the ceremony.

The Associate honors designations are as follows:
Honors: 3.50 - 3.99 cumulative GPA
High Honors: 4.0 cumulative GPA

The Bachelor honors designations are as follows:
Cum Laude 3.5 - 3.69, cumulative GPA
Magna Cum Laude 3.7 - 3.89, cumulative GPA
Summa Cum Laude 3.9 and above, cumulative GPA

Honors cords for those who qualify will be available in the Bookstore and can be picked up with your cap and gown.

Whom should I contact for questions?

For any questions or concerns you may have regarding the awarding of your degree and/or the annual commencement ceremony, please contact the Registrar's Office:

Florida SouthWestern State College
Building S, second floor
8099 College Parkway
Fort Myers, Florida 33919
Phone: (239) 489-9121
Email: