Note: Check back here beginning May 10 for details on the July 25, 2009 Summer Graduation ceremony.
| Graduation
timetable |
| First date to apply for graduation: |
Feb. 2, 2009 |
| Last date to apply for graduation: |
March 27, 2009 * |
| Graduation date: |
Saturday, May 9, 2009 |
| Graduation time: |
Graduational processional starts at 10 a.m. IT IS IMPORTANT to be at Tropicana Field by 9:30 am. (9 am. for honor students). The ceremony will last approx. 2-1/2 hours. Please plan accordingly and be courteous to other graduates by not leaving early. |
| Graduation location: |
Tropicana Field
One Tropicana Dr
St. Petersburg FL 33705
MAP |
| On graduation day........ |
| Arrive no later than: |
9:30 am |
| Honor cords distribution time: |
9 am |
| Graduates should enter through: |
Gate 4,
from 16th St. S. |
| Guests
should enter through: |
Gate
5, just left of Gate 4; Gate 5 will open at 9 am. |
| Parking: |
Approximately $5.
Primary parking is in Lots 1-5.
Disabled parking is available in Lots 1, 6 and 7.
Additionally, a drop-off circle is available by Gate 4 along 16th St. S. |
*This is the last day to apply for graduation with assurance your name will be in the commencement program. Although we accept your application for graduation through the last day of the term in which you would like to be considered for commencement, your name will not appear in the commencement program if your application is received after the date listed above. You may still participate in graduation as long as your application is received by the last day of the term.
 A message for Graduating Students
Dear Student: As graduation approaches, you may have numerous questions. Your first step is to check with your SPC academic advisor to verify your graduation status. Next, you must complete the online application for graduation:
- Go to http://www.spcollege.edu
- Click on MySPC
- Log in with your User ID and password
- Click on Apply for Graduation on the right side of the page under Academics.
- Complete the Application form and hit Save. This will submit the form to your home campus.
- You will then be directed to pay the graduation application fee.
Because a college degree or certificate is an accomplishment worth celebrating, we invite you to participate in the Spring Commencement exercises on May 9.
You must apply for graduation to receive your diploma whether or not you participate in commencement. Of course, commencement exercises are a special experience that no graduate should miss. It is a time for you to receive well-deserved recognition for your hard work. The last day to apply for graduation with assurance of your name in the commencement program is March 27. I hope to see you at commencement; I’ll be the one presenting the graduates.
| Sincerely, |
| Patrick W. Rinard |
| Associate V.P. |
| Enrollment Management |
Applying for Graduation/Graduation Application Fee
Effective in 2009, SPC will charge a $30 graduation application fee to process your
graduation. The non-refundable fee is not transferable to another term if, for some reason, you
fail to graduate this term. So it is important to complete a graduation check with a Student
Affairs professional to ensure your eligibility before applying. If you are applying to graduate
with more than one credential (A.A. and A.S. degree or A.S. degree and Certificate), you will only
be assessed this fee once per term.
You must apply for graduation to receive your diploma whether or not you participate in commencement. Students applying online for graduation must use Apply for Graduation in MySPC. Even if you have completed all the coursework for a degree or certificate, you cannot receive a degree or diploma without applying for graduation. Applying for graduation is also the first step toward participating in the Spring Commencement Ceremony Saturday, May 9.
Being part of the graduation ceremony does not imply or suggest that all graduation requirements have been met. Graduation certification is made by Enrollment Management after final grades are posted.
DON'T
DELAY!
Submit your Graduation Application soon. The last day to
apply for graduation with assurance your name will be in the
commencement program is March 27. As long as your application
and payment are received by the last day of the term, you may still
participate in graduation. You may apply online and submit your graduation application fee at MySPC.
Students can also complete this registration form and return it the Admissions Office of their home campus along with their $30 graduation application fee.
If you’re applying for more than one degree or certificate, you
must complete an application for each, but you are required to pay
one $30 graduation application fee. If you wish to make changes to
your graduation application once it is submitted, please contact Don Harris at 727-341-3125.
Purchasing cap and
gown
Visit a campus bookstore to purchase your cap and gown for a nominal fee. The deadline for obtaining your cap and gown is Friday, May 8. Please bring these items with you to the ceremony.
NOTE: Graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees wear colored tassels that vary according to their majors. Please let your bookstore know if you are receiving a bachelor’s degree.
Campus bookstores also offer affordable personalized commencement invitations. Orders must be placed and paid for by credit card at least six weeks before commencement. Students can order class rings at the bookstores, and family and friends can find a variety of gifts for the graduate there as well. For more information, call (727) 347-0310 or contact the bookstore on your home campus.
Bookstore Hours:
| Caruth Health
Education Center |
Monday and Thursday
Tuesday and Wednesday
Friday |
8:30
am to 7:00 pm
8:30 am to 5:00 pm
8:30 am to 1:00 pm |
| |
|
| Clearwater Campus |
Monday-Thursday
Friday |
7:45
am to 7:30 pm
7:45 am to 4:00 pm |
| |
|
| St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus |
Monday-Thursday
Friday |
7:45
am to 7:30 pm
7:45 am to 4:00 pm |
| |
|
| Seminole Campus |
Monday and Thursday
Tuesday and Wednesday
Friday |
8:30
am to 7:00 pm
8:30 am to 4:00 pm
8:30 am to 2:00 pm |
| |
|
| Allstate Center, SPC Downtown and SPC Midtown |
| Graduating students may purchase
their caps and gowns at any of the
other locations. |
| |
| Tarpon Springs
Campus |
Monday-Thursday
Friday |
7:45
am to 7:30 pm
7:45 am to 2:00 pm |
Wearing cap and gown
 The cap should be placed on the head so that
the mortar board is level, with the long point of the crown to the back. The
front point should be well down on the forehead with no hair showing in
front. Put the tassel on the right side. The gown should be removed from the package
immediately and placed on a hanger to allow the folds to fall out. The hook at the back of the yoke is for use
only in attaching a collar for females. The collar should be hooked on the back of
the yoke and fastened on each side in front with small safety pins, which
are in the collar envelope.
Attire
The suggested attire for men is black
or solid dark pants, white shirt, black or
solid ties and black or dark shoes. The
suggested attire for women is a white or
light solid-colored dress and black or dark
shoes. Wear comfortable shoes; the
processional is long.
Honor Cords
(For Students receiving associate and bachelor's degrees)
Students graduating with honors will receive gold cords in recognition of their academic
achievements. Honor cords will be distributed inside Gate 4 at Tropicana Field at 9 a.m. Members of Phi Theta Kappa may order their graduation stoles through their chapter sponsors.
Your overall GPA (A.A., A.S. and A.A.S. recipients) for honor cords must be 3.30-3.79 for one
cord, and 3.80 or above for two cords (high honors). Your overall GPA for a bachelor’s degree
must be 3.50 for one honor cord and 3.80 or above for two honor cords. Your GPA can be found
on your unofficial transcript.
NOTE: The GPA used to compute honors eligibility is based on the prior term
cumulative GPA.
 Diplomas
Your diploma will not be in the cover you
receive at graduation. Diplomas will be mailed within four weeks
after the ceremony to those who met the application deadline and paid the graduation application fee.
Final responsibility for meeting graduation requirements rests with the student. Request a
“graduation check” from your academic advisor for verification of degree(s). There will not be
time to compute final grades prior to the commencement ceremony. Students who fail to meet
graduation requirements must reapply for graduation for the next term and pay another $30
graduation application fee. Graduation applications are not carried forward automatically.
If your diploma is damaged, a replacement can be produced for $15. To request a
replacement diploma, please contact Don Harris at 727-341-3125. The original diploma must be
returned, regardless of condition.
NOTE: Honors designation on your diploma will be based on your final cumulative GPA.
Graduation Keepsakes
The following services are provided as a courtesy to students and parents by outside merchants. You are under no obligation to use them.
| Leader Frames now offers SPC
personalized degree frames for distinctive display of your diploma and
graduation portrait. Visit their site at www.degreeframes.com and look for St. Petersburg College's page. |
 |
In addition, Bob Knight Photo & Chappell Studio offers students a $5 discount on any photo order over $25 through GradTrak® by Graduation Images. |
 |
Important information
- If you are a student with a disability who requires accommodations,
please call Peg Connell at 727-341-3398 to make arrangements at least
seven days prior to graduation. Our staff can provide accessible seating,
interpreters for the deaf or hard-of-hearing and other accommodations
as needed.
- You should receive a name card in the mail the week of graduation;
please bring it with you. It is used to call your name as you walk forward
to receive your diploma cover. If there is an error in your name, phone
number, or address or if you do not receive a name card in the mail,
please call Don Harris at 727-341-3125. Your diploma will be mailed to
the address on the card. If you do not receive a name card in the mail,
this does not mean you are not graduating or that you cannot participate
in the ceremony. Extra name cards will be available at the ceremony.
- If you choose, Bob Knight Photo will send your graduation picture to the e-mail address you provide on the card.
- Tropicana Field parking is approximately $5. Parking is in Lots 1-5 at
Tropicana Field (see map). Disabled parking is available in Lots 1, 6 and 7. A drop-off
circle is available by Gate 4 along 16th Street S.
Note: There is no provision for secured storage of personal items. Leave all personal belongings at home or with family members.
 |
