USF Grad Cap Contest

Graduates – show off your creativity and get involved by entering the USF Grad Cap contest! You’ll have a chance to win reserved seats for friends and family at your Commencement ceremony. Let’s see those cap designs!

Spring 2026 Winners

Click on images to view in a larger size:

USF grad cap decorated with small library books and spelled out letters that read "Check it out - I did it!" with details about graduating with an MS in Library Science.

1st Place

Shana Kelley

A fully knitted grad cap outfitted with a small, knit Rocky the Bull figure and a pink flower done in knitting yarn with knitted words that read "Onto the next project."

2nd Place

Gabriela Feliciano

Grad cap decorated in bright blue, pink, and purple colors featuring the flowers from Spongebob's underwater world and cut out images of Spongebob and a jellyfish saying "Put the Engineering degree in the bag".

3rd Place

Carolina Navarrete-Moron

A fully knitted grad cap with a knitted Rocky the Bull and "USF 2026" knitted out in green and gold yarn.

Bull pride

Ava Nightingale

How to Enter

  1. Decorate your grad cap. Be creative!
  2. Snap a photo of your decorated cap.
    • Make sure it’s against a neutral background or outside in bright, natural light.
  3. Submit your contest entry.

Summer 2026 ConTEST SCHEDULE

Coming soon!

Judging and Winner Selection

(4) winners are selected by the USF Commencement committee and will be contacted via email for prize coordination.

1st Place

  • Reserved suite for graduate friends/family at Commencement ceremony (8 seats).
    • Awarded to the highest scoring submission that depicts a cap decorated with any theme.

2nd and 3rd Place

  • Reserved seats in Section 103 at Commencement ceremony (4 seats).
    • Awarded to the second and third-highest scoring submission that depicts a cap decorated with any theme.

Bull Pride

  • Reserved suite for graduate friends/family at Commencement ceremony (8 seats).
    • Awarded to the highest scoring submission that depicts a cap decorated with a USF theme.

Contact

For contest questions, please contact commencement@usf.edu.

USF graduate wearing regalia facing a sign reading "USF Grad"