By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
While classmates tossed their caps skyward in 2002, a pregnant Tammy Mascato remained home to hold a feverish infant son in her arms — and missed her own college graduation.
Decades later, she’s finally celebrating a university commencement properly — this time alongside her son, Bennett Moscato, with whom she was pregnant that day.
“One of Bennett’s friends pointed out that I didn’t get to walk when I was pregnant with him, but now we get to walk together,” Tammy said.
During USF’s spring commencement ceremonies, Tammy, who also works for USF as a student support coordinator assistant, will receive a Master of Education degree with a concentration in student affairs.
Bennett will receive a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology degree.
“It’s awesome that we’re doing it together,” Bennett said. “It’s been really cool to go through the same thing as her at the same time as her. Now it’s even cooler that we finish together. I am so proud of her.”
That feeling is reciprocal.
“We don’t need to celebrate me,” Tammy said. “It’s more important to celebrate Bennett. He’s amazing.”
But Bennett countered by saying he’s only as amazing as the woman to whom he looks up. “She’s my inspiration.”
After graduating from high school in 1987, college wasn’t an option for Tammy.
“There was no money for school,” she said. “I had to get a job to support myself. But, when I got to a point where I was doing well, the most important thing for me was education.”
In 2002, while living in Ellicott City, Maryland, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.
Tammy and her husband, Tim, moved to Brandon in 2021, and it wasn’t long before their adult children joined them — reuniting the family in a new chapter of life.
Their older son, Miles, was the first Bull in the family and graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He now works at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in operations.
“We’re a family of Bulls,” Tammy said. “That means a lot to us.”
Bennett enrolled in 2022.
His mother joined the sons the following year and then became a USF employee.
The family members often met on campus.
“Her office is in a really central place on campus,” Bennett said. “We’d hang out, grab lunch, chat about our days.”
And in the evenings, they often find themselves together again, at Tammy’s house, studying.
“Their friends would study with us as well. Plus, not going to lie, they had to teach me how to use Canvas,” Tammy said with a laugh. “It’s been a great experience.”
The end of that experience is bittersweet.
While Tammy will be proud to watch Bennett walk across the stage and receive his diploma, it’s also a goodbye.
Bennett was selected for a two-year fellowship at McLean Hospital, a Massachusetts-based inpatient mental health treatment center affiliated with Harvard Medical School.
“It’s joyful that he will pursue his passion for helping others,” Tammy said. “But a little soul crushing that he is doing it so far away. But I couldn’t be prouder.”