By Paul Guzzo and Althea Johnson, University Communications and Marketing
President Moez Limayem will lead his first commencement exercises as the University of South Florida confers more than 8,000 degrees during ceremonies May 7-10. Limayem, who began his tenure in February 2026, will preside over all ceremonies, which will be held in the Yuengling Center on USF’s Tampa campus.
A moment of silence will be observed at the beginning of each ceremony to remember USF students Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon, who tragically passed away last month. During the 9 a.m. doctoral degree ceremony on Friday, May 8, two empty chairs with regalia will be placed on the arena floor to honor Bristy and Limon. Separately, both students also will receive posthumous doctoral degrees.
The spring 2026 class includes recipients of approximately 6,371 bachelor’s, 1,360 master’s and 353 doctoral degrees. The class features 138 undergraduate students earning a perfect 4.0 grade point average, 612 military veterans and graduates from 109 countries, 46 states and four U.S. territories.
This semester’s youngest graduate is 17 and will earn a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences. The oldest graduate, who is 70 years old, is earning a master’s degree in library and information science.
Ceremony information:
Thursday, May 7| 1:30 p.m.
Master’s and educational specialist degree recipients from the Muma College of Business and the colleges of Arts and Sciences; Design, Art and Performance; and Education
*Kathleen Sanz will receive an Honorary Doctorate of The Arts.
Master’s degree recipients from the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing; the Patel College of Global Sustainability; the Taneja College of Pharmacy; the Morsani College of Medicine and the colleges of Behavioral and Community Sciences, Engineering, Marine Science, Nursing; and Public Health
Doctoral degree recipients from all colleges
*Patricia Quigley will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Nursing.
Friday, May 8| 1:30 p.m.
Bachelor’s degree recipients from the economics department of the College of Arts and Sciences and the following schools of the Muma College of Business: Kate Tiedemann School of Business and Finance, School of Hospitality and Sport Management, School of Marketing and Innovation, and The Baldwin Group School of Risk Management and Insurance
Friday, May 8| 6 p.m.
Bachelor’s degree recipients from the College of Education and the following schools of the Muma College of Business: Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy, School of Information Systems, and School of Management
Saturday, May 9| 9 a.m.
Bachelor’s degree recipients from the following departments and schools of the College of Arts and Sciences: Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications; Anthropology; School of Geosciences; School of Information; School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies; Journalism and Digital Communication; Mathematics and Statistics; Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences; Sustainability Studies; and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Saturday, May 9| 1:30 p.m.
Bachelor’s degree recipients from the following departments of the College of Arts and Sciences: Communication, English, History, Humanities and Cultural Studies, Philosophy, Psychology, Religious Studies, and World Languages
Saturday, May 9| 6 p.m.
Bachelor’s degree recipients from the following departments of the College of Arts and Sciences: Chemistry, Integrative Biology, Molecular Biosciences, and Physics
Sunday, May 10| 9 a.m.
Bachelor’s degree recipients from the colleges of Behavioral and Community Sciences and Design, Art and Performance, and the Office of Undergraduate Studies
Sunday, May 10| 1:30 p.m.
Bachelor’s degree recipients from the colleges of Nursing and Public Health
Sunday, May 10| 6 p.m.
Bachelor’s degree recipients from the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing and the College of Engineering
*Sir Cato T. Laurencin will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering and Daniela Zamora Alviarez will receive the Ralph C. Wilcox Outstanding Graduate Award.
Sara Arroyave Soto – Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Sara Arroyave Soto followed her father to USF and into mechanical engineering, even taking courses taught by some of the same professors he had decades earlier. While drawing inspiration from his career in aerospace, she charted her own path through undergraduate research focused on aerodynamics and energy efficiency, with plans to continue her studies at USF in pursuit of a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering.
Oliver Laczko – Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Policy
Oliver Laczko transformed an eroded section of USF St. Petersburg’s Bayboro Harbor into a living shoreline, blending hurricane recovery with long-term environmental restoration. Through his honors thesis and leadership with student sustainability initiatives, Laczko helped restore some of the harbor’s first marsh habitat in more than a century and plans to continue advancing wetland science, restoration and resilience in Florida.
Evan Fueyo – Bachelor of Science in Risk Management and Insurance; Jonathan Fueyo – Bachelor of Arts in History
A multigenerational USF family story comes full circle as brothers Evan and Jonathan Fueyo follow their parents, Rick Fueyo and Elizabeth Krystyn, in becoming Bulls. Rick and Elizabeth met as students in the 1980s and have remained deeply connected to the university, with Krystyn later co‑founding The Baldwin Group and helping establish USF’s School of Risk Management and Insurance. Their family’s journey reflects the growing legacy of tradition, philanthropy, and pride at USF.
Read more about Evan and Jonathan
Yeran Gamage – Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
Yeran Gamage founded and served as president of USF’s boxing club, helping build it into one of the university’s largest student organizations while emphasizing safety, training, and accessibility. At the same time, he gained hands-on cybersecurity experience by identifying and responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities in open-source AI tools, preparing him for his next role as a cloud security engineer at Wells Fargo.
Sofia Chepenik – Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications
Sofia Chepenik is a member of USF’s inaugural women’s lacrosse team and served as one of the program’s original captains, helping establish the culture and leadership foundation for the new program. Off the field, she launched Sophia’s Squad, a mentorship community designed to support young female athletes through confidence-building, leadership development, and goal-setting, drawing on her own experiences as a student-athlete.
Chase Cooper – Master of Business Administration; Master of Science in Sport & Entertainment Management
Chase Cooper turned a lifelong passion for football into a front-office role with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, working on the business operations that shape the fan experience. Through a two-year fellowship with the team via USF’s Vinik Sport & Entertainment Management Program, Cooper analyzed data across marketing, partnerships, and fan engagement, leading to a full-time position with the organization.
Madisen Hamai - Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology
A Colorado native Madisen Hamai discovered sailing for the first time after arriving at USF St. Petersburg and is now graduating as captain of the nationally ranked USF Women’s Sailing team. A marine biology major with a perfect 4.0 GPA, Hamai will next lead the Bulls at the Women’s Sailing National Championship before pursuing her goal of becoming a marine animal veterinarian.
Spence Gerber - Bachelor of Science in Biology
USF Sarasota‑Manatee graduate Spence Gerber is continuing his family’s long‑standing Bulls tradition while forging his own path in leadership, research and student engagement. A fourth-generation Bull, Gerber graduates after an active campus career spanning student government, honors leadership, undergraduate research and community involvement as USF marks its 70th anniversary.
Alyssa Duurloo – Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design
Inspired by her aunt’s experience at USF, Alyssa Duurloo chose to follow the same path and became part of a growing multigenerational Bull tradition. While still a student, she worked with the university’s student graphic design firm, creating social media and marketing visuals that promote campus life, programs, and events, and she plans to apply those fast-paced design skills in the entertainment and tourism industries after graduation.