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(Sarasota, FL December 11, 2003) - USF Sarasota-Manatee is conferring degrees to 217 students Monday, a record number for fall commencement.

The ceremony will be held at the Manatee Civic Center at One Haben Boulevard Palmetto. Commencement begins at 7:00 p.m. with Ron Reagan, USF alumnae and state representative, serving as the Commencement Speaker.

The varied profile of graduates reflects the student body at USF Sarasota-Manatee. The youngest is 20 years old and the oldest is 63. Nearly half of the undergraduates plan to go onto graduate school. Most graduates worked full-time while attending school and many balanced family, work and school responsibilities. It’s a special night for many families; nearly half are the first family member to earn a college degree. Graduates are expected to bring 1,600 family members to help celebrate and recognize this great moment, one that will re-define who they are in future endeavors.

“This is a defining moment in our graduates’ lives, just as it’s a defining moment for our campus,” said Laurey Stryker, Campus CEO, pointing out that enrollment grew by 22% this year. “We provide an economic engine for our community. These graduates will become our nurses, our teachers, our business leaders, our social workers, our accountants, our law enforcement officers and our civic ambassadors.”

The first Criminology cohort will graduate 15 students from the Sarasota and Manatee counties’ Sheriff’s Departments and the Township of Longboat Key. The graduates come from every department from a school resource officer to detectives to a Lieutenant in the training bureau. Many supporters from the Sheriff’s Department are expected to be in the audience.

Several students will receive special awards: Vincent J. Recca, Outstanding Senior Award; Troy Lim, Golden Bull Award; Douglas Earl Carroll, Outstanding Graduate Student Award; Nancy Williams, Outstanding Service to Education Award; and Anne Marie Galle, King O’Neal Scholar Award. Dr. Barry Karafin, Business faculty member will receive the Outstanding Professor Award.

USF President Judy Genshaft will present an honorary doctorate to Dr. Kay Glasser, founder of the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center. Dr. Glasser has served the community for three decades as a tireless advocate for human services and former Sarasota School Board member. Former Congressman Dan Miller will receive a Distinguished Citizen Award for his service to Sarasota and Manatee counties. Miller will be a professor on campus and the inaugural Chair of the Council of Advisors for a newly forming Institute of Public Policy and Leadership beginning this spring.

For more information about university programs check out the website at www.sarasota.usf.edu