This summer, 731 undergraduate students shook hands, took photos and moved their tassels at the O’Connell Center.
While 966 former undergraduate students received degrees, only 731 of them actually attended the graduation ceremonies on Aug. 7, said Mary Ann Hagler, who works in UF’s registrar’s office.
Chris Jarrett, who graduated with a computer engineering degree, said he thinks all students should attend their graduation ceremonies because it allows families to celebrate with the students. He said it was worth waiting during the ceremony. In total, about 8,000 programs were printed for the 10 a.m. graduate students’ ceremony and the 2 p.m. undergraduate students’ ceremony, Hagler said.
Some students at the ceremony decorated their caps with rhinestones, paint, images or other crafts. One message written in orange and blue said, “Thanks Mom ‘n’ Dad.” Some caps had religious messages, and others praised the Gators’ athletic achievements.
Some students were awarded golden medallions to mark their status as Golden UF Tradition Keepers, which means they completed 40 recommended traditions in the UF Alumni Association’s F Book.
Each of the students’ tassels were colored to indicate which college they were graduating from.
Channing Mims, a 23-year-old family, youth and community sciences graduate, said she was motivated to finish her degree by her desire to earn her diploma and not fail.
“I had the strength of my parents behind me,” she said. “My parents cheered me on, telling me, ‘You can finish this; you’ll be one of a couple of people in your family with a college degree.’”
Although Mims, an only child, said she is one of the few people she knows who didn’t come to UF for the sports, she said she remembers when the Gators won the men’s basketball national championship in 2006.
“I remember being in my dorm room and seeing everyone storm the streets,” she said.
She lived in a dorm for her first two years, and while she recommends others live in a dorm for their first year, she said it’s a good idea to move to an off-campus apartment.
One of the biggest surprises at UF, she said, was the number of students.
“It was a bit overwhelming seeing all the students there. Until you actually experience and see it, you don’t really know.”
Her advice to freshmen: “Definitely join some of the organizations. I didn’t do that, but I had a lot of friends that did and they really loved that.”
Mims is staying in Gainesville and working at the Alachua County Humane Society, but she said she would like to eventually go to graduate school.
Jarrett’s favorite memories at UF were at the football games.
“Saturdays in the fall were the best time of year,” he said.
Jarrett, along with many of the graduates, arrived at UF in 2006, a year that UF won both the football and men’s basketball national championships. The school has changed since 2006, he said.
“I think the school’s gotten more academic-oriented,” he said. “Back then, it was more of a party school.”
Twenty-three undergraduate students were awarded their degree with highest honors, summa cum laude, Hagler said. The requirements for summa cum laude honors varies by college, but most require a research project and a GPA around 3.8.
Fall graduation ceremonies will occur Dec. 17 and 18.
