Seminole State to award 2,872 degrees at spring commencement

Seminole State College of Florida will put 2,354 students into Seminole County and the broader Central Florida workforce with 2,872 degrees and certificates this spring, including 273 bachelor’s degrees in business and information management, information systems technology and health sciences.

That makes the May 4 commencement more than a campus milestone. It is a direct infusion of workers into some of the county’s hardest-to-fill fields, especially health care, technology and construction, where employers continue to need steady pipelines of trained graduates.

The formal ceremony is set for 4 p.m. Monday, May 4, at Addition Financial Arena at the University of Central Florida. Doors open at 2:30 p.m., tickets are required, and the college says guests will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis. The program will include a graduate processional, a live commencement address and remarks from faculty and student speakers. For those who cannot attend in person, Seminole State says a live video feed will be available.

Dan Donovan, senior director of talent orchestration at Universal Orlando, will deliver the keynote. Donovan also chairs the Foundation for Seminole State College Board of Directors, linking the ceremony to one of the region’s biggest employers and to the college’s fundraising and workforce partnerships.

Seminole State is spreading the celebrations across several career paths before the main ceremony. A Hard Hat Ceremony for construction students is set for April 27, followed by a Fire Academy Graduation on April 28, a Nursing Pinning Ceremony on April 30 and an Adult Education Graduation on May 1. The schedule reflects the range of fields feeding local hiring needs, from jobsite labor and public safety to hospitals and adult learners finishing credentials later in life.

The college’s academic catalog shows bachelor’s programs in business and information management, health sciences, engineering technology, construction, elementary education and exceptional student education, all areas with clear local workforce value. That breadth matters in Seminole County, where schools, clinics, contractors and public services all depend on a steady supply of trained workers.

The spring class also comes on the heels of another large year for Seminole State. Spring 2025 commencement awarded more than 2,800 degrees and certificates to more than 2,000 graduates, and the college’s Fall 2025 Grad Walk recognized more than 2,400 credentials, including 1,027 associate degrees and 238 bachelor’s degrees. In December, CareerSource Central Florida opened its first Seminole County community hub at Seminole State’s Sanford/Lake Mary Campus, adding career coaching, training and job connections alongside the college’s own Destination Graduation partnership with Heart of Florida United Way.

For Seminole County, the numbers point to a college that is not just celebrating graduates but helping supply the workers hospitals, schools, builders and employers need now.