More than 900 FGCU students will walk across the stage to receive their degrees on Saturday, Dec. 12 at Alico Arena. The fall graduates will join more than 22,000 alumni in the school’s 18-year history.
FGCU President Dr. Wilson Bradshaw will be handing out 83 bachelor’s degrees in communication, which makes it this semester’s top bachelor’s degree. The resort and hospitality management program will have the second-highest amount of fall graduates, with 72 degrees being handed out on Saturday.
Saturday will consist of two ceremonies, the first held at 9 a.m. and the second beginning at 1 p.m. The 9 a.m. ceremony will graduate students from the College of Education, Lutgert College of Business and College of Health Professions and Social Work. The 1 p.m. ceremony will hand out degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences and the U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering.
Mei-Mei Chan Kirk, the former News-Press president and publisher and the former Florida Regional President for Gannett, will be the guest speaker for both the 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. ceremony. Chan Kirk helped start USA TODAY in 1982 and was a vice president of advertising at the Seattle Times.
In 2013, she received the 8th annual Apex award from the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes women for professional excellence, community service and mentoring. Chan Kirk, who was born in Canton, China, lived in Hong Kong until immigrating when she was seven years old with her family to Chicago.
FGCU will also be live streaming the ceremonies at fgcu.edu. Doors open one hour prior to each ceremony. Alico Arena policy prohibits balloons and loud noise makers, and they will not be allowed indoors.