TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida announced it would be returning to in-person commencement ceremonies starting this spring.
The ceremonies would mark the first time the university has held an in-person graduation since December 2019. Because of the pandemic, spring, summer, and fall graduations last year were forced to take place virtually.
As of now, USF plans on holding the ceremonies May 7 through May 9 at Tropicana Field. However, not everyone will be able to attend due to social-distancing guidelines, the university says.
Students who wish to participate are being asked to register by April 5. USF says it will then determine how many ceremonies will be allowed to take place in order to adhere to COVID protocols. A final schedule will be created April 9.
USF says Tropicana Field allows the university to accommodate 7,000 students, with enough space for some friends and family to attend.
But, it's not just the class of 2021 that will receive a ceremony. The university also hopes to hold a graduation ceremony for the class of 2020, which would take place on a future date when COVID restrictions are reduced.
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