![\"Scenes](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/bd8d4206-5ab5-4e19-bbfb-b737d5a9d7b5.jpeg\" "\\"Scenes")
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Scenes from the 2025 Florida Gulf Coast University graduation ceremonies at Alico Arena on May 3, 2025.<\/p>\n
James Greco\/Florida Gulf Coast U<\/p>\n
USA TODAY Network, Reuters<\/p>\n
It will be a commencement like none ever held before at Florida Gulf Coast University this weekend.<\/p>\n
FGCU will make history when it hosts a record-breaking five commencement ceremonies, the largest in university history.<\/p>\n
According to a press release, the Class of 2026 will set a record with more than 2,500 students (2,554) will graduating on May 2 and May 3. Of those graduates, the university estimates about 2,000 will participate in commencement ceremonies.<\/p>\n
The ceremonies will recognize students across all academic colleges, spanning undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, as well as distinguished honorees.<\/p>\n
Photos: 2025 graduation ceremonies at FGCU<\/p>\n
When are FGCU’s 2026 spring graduation ceremonies?<\/p>\n
Highlights of the weekend include:<\/p>\n
Five separate ceremonies over two days, accommodating the largest graduating class FGCU has ever celebrated in its 29 years of existence.Special recognitions for Emeritus faculty member Dr. Robert Kenny and Honorary Doctoral recipient Brian Rist during Ceremony 2.Commencement takes place at Alico Arena with three ceremonies on May 2 and two on May 3. <\/p>\n
For additional information, visit https:\/\/www.fgcu.edu\/commencement\/<\/p>\n
FGCU’s 2026 spring graduation ceremonies schedule<\/p>\n
The schedule is as follows:<\/p>\n
Saturday, May 2<\/p>\n
9 a.m.: Ceremony 1 (Lutgert College of Business)2 p.m.: Ceremony 2 (College of Education, The Water School, Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship)6:30 p.m.: Ceremony 3 (Marieb College of Health & Human Services)<\/p>\n
Sunday, May 3<\/p>\n
11 a.m.: Ceremony 4 (College of Arts & Sciences, minus Psychology and Integrated Studies majors)3:30 p.m.: Ceremony 5 (College of Arts & Sciences, only Psychology and Integrated Studies majors & U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering)<\/p>\n
.Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here.<\/p>\n
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: FGCU’s spring graduation will earn historic designation this year<\/p>\n
Reporting by Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News \/ Fort Myers News-Press<\/p>\n
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
This story was originally published September 21, 2026 at 5:27 PM.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Scenes from the 2025 Florida Gulf Coast University graduation ceremonies at Alico Arena on May 3, 2025. James…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":406730,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210],"class_list":["post-406729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=406729"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406729\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/406730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=406729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=406729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=406729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}