#Eckerd26
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 9:30 a.m. ET
Bradenton Area Convention Center
Speaker: TBD
Livestreamed on YouTube
Commencement is a time for family, friends and all members of the Eckerd community to recognize and honor the hard work and achievements of our graduating students. Commencement is the culmination of countless hours of study; completion of classes for the major; development of relationships with mentors, professors, administrators and fellow students; and engagement in outside-of-the-classroom learning.
Please join us as we celebrate the graduation of the Eckerd College Class of 2026. Students will receive their degrees on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the state-of-the-art Bradenton Area Convention Center. The ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m.
The venue
Commencement will take place at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Boulevard, Palmetto, Florida 34221. This newly renovated facility boasts more than 1,000 parking spaces, accessible entry and climate-controlled seating for 4,000.
Schedule
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Baccalaureate Ceremony
Eckerd College McArthur Gymnasium
Time TBD
During this interfaith service in celebration of the Class of 2026, President James Annarelli will offer the graduates his farewell address.
Student Success Celebration of the Class of 2026
Main Cafeteria and then Tim’s Pavilion and South Beach
Time TBD (fireworks display over Fox Pond to follow)
Graduates and their guests are invited to this celebration consisting of a buffet dinner in the Main Cafeteria, followed by live music and refreshments at Tim’s Pavilion and South Beach, photo booths, and fireworks hosted by the Office of Student Success. Reservations not needed.
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Coffee and Donuts for Families
Bradenton Area Convention Center Lobby
7:30 a.m.
Robing for Graduates (only)
BACC Longboat Key Room
8:30 a.m.
Graduates should arrive with their cap, gown and hood.
Commencement
BACC Gulf Islands Center Hall
9:30 a.m.
Streamed live on YouTube
Through the years
Eckerd College’s Commencement has evolved over time.
1965–1970
Families, friends, faculty, staff and Florida Presbyterian College graduates celebrated their completed degrees at Pasadena Community Church, in a historic diamond sanctuary.1971–1991
Seniors took their sunny, open-air final walks across a stage in the Academic Quad, wearing different colored robes to represent their collegia.1992–2001
With more students than ever, Eckerd College moved the Commencement ceremony to McArthur Gymnasium and split the celebration in two—one for residential graduates and another for Program for Experienced Learners grads.2002–2003
To unify the residential grads’ and PEL grads’ ceremonies, administrators moved Commencement to Tropicana Field.2004–2025
A scheduling conflict with the Tampa Bay Rays Baseball team caused administrators to get creative and make other plans. The solution was erecting a dramatic 340′ x 100′, open, white, rented tent on South Beach Field. The return to an outdoor, on-campus ceremony lasted 22 Commencements. Academic Regalia
Students: Academic regalia is ordered through the Herff Jones website from March 1, 2026, through March 31, 2026. If you have questions regarding academic regalia, please contact the Campus Bookstore at 727.864.8350. The caps, gowns and hoods worn at college and university functions date back to the Middle Ages.
For Students
Academic regalia for students includes a black baccalaureate gown, a black mortarboard with a teal tassel, and a hood. Students often decorate the top of their mortarboards as a celebratory artistic expression.
The hood for the baccalaureate degree is the size specified by the American Council on Education. It is lined with the chevron of Eckerd College, with white and teal satin, and is trimmed with velvet in the color reflective of the degree conferred. The hood for the Bachelor of Arts degree is trimmed in white velvet; the hood for the Bachelor of Science degree is trimmed in gold velvet; and the hood for the Bachelor of Fine Arts is trimmed in brown velvet. The color of the velvet trimming of a hood is determined by the degree conferred, not by the student’s major.
For Faculty & Administration
The gown for the doctorate has broad velvet panels down the front and three velvet bars on the large, bell-like sleeves; the gown is usually black, but when the degree is awarded by certain schools, the color of that institution is reflected in the gown. The gown for the master’s degree has short sleeves. Caps may be of the mortarboard style or of velvet; a gold tassel indicates a doctorate degree. The hood gives color and distinction to the academic costume. The hood—a black shell-like affair of varying size for the three degrees and material to match the gown—is silk-lined, stressing the colors of the institution conferring the degree. The hood is then bordered with velvet in the color signifying the respective fields of learning.
The colors indicative of the various fields of learning are as follows:
- Anthropology – Dark Blue
- Arts – White
- Business Administration – Light Brown
- Communication – Crimson
- Counseling & Guidance – Light Blue
- Dramatic Arts – Brown
- Economics – Copper
- Education – Light Blue
- Engineering – Orange
- English – White
- Fine Arts – Brown
- Government – Peacock Blue
- History – White
- Humanities – White
- Literature – White
- Library Science – Lemon
- Mathematics – Gold
- Music – Pink
- Philosophy – Dark Blue
- Physical Education – Sage Green
- Political Science – Dark Blue
- Psychology – Gold
- Science – Gold
- Sociology – White
- Theology – Scarlet
It is important to note that the field of learning having prior mention in the conferment of the degree, and not the department governing the major work, determines the color that is proper for the velvet of the hood. The doctor of philosophy degree requires blue velvet irrespective of the major field. If more than one degree is held, the gown and hood of the highest degree are worn.
Previous ceremonies
Looking for previous Commencement materials?
Visit our Library Archives and our YouTube playlist for digital copies of programs, speeches and remarks from previous Eckerd College commencement ceremonies.
Family Info
We are excited to invite families and friends to join us for the Commencement ceremony at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, which is approximately 20 minutes from campus via I-275 and U.S. 41. The facility boasts a spacious driveway for door-to-door drop-offs, ample parking, and accessible seating and restroom facilities. The event will be open seating, except seats reserved for the graduates. Beginning at 7:30 a.m., coffee and donuts will be served in the lobby, prior to the start of the 9:30 a.m. ceremony
Please note that Eckerd staff will fly a drone Saturday evening in the vicinity of Fox Pond and near South Beach Field to capture photo and video footage of the celebration. All others are prohibited from flying drones on campus at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in the graduation fee?
The graduation fee offsets costs related to graduation such as the processing of degree applications, verification of student records, printing and mailing of diplomas, diploma covers, and various graduation events and ceremonies—including the Commencement ceremony itself. All graduating students are invited to participate in Commencement, and the fee is charged whether or not a student chooses to participate in the ceremony.
Where will the ceremony take place?
The Bradenton Area Convention Center at 1 Haben Boulevard, Palmetto, Florida 34221.
Why was the ceremony moved off campus?
Eckerd’s Commencement on South Beach Field began in 2004 because of conflicts with the baseball season at Tropicana Field. The relocation to the Bradenton Area Convention Center will ensure that every graduate and guest can enjoy the ceremony in air-conditioned comfort and safety, and that our ceremony will not be canceled due to weather.
Why is Commencement moving to Bradenton?
Our Commencement Committee explored every major indoor venue in the St. Petersburg area. Tropicana Field is unavailable due to the Rays’ game schedule. The Mahaffey Theatre in St. Petersburg, Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, and our own McArthur Gymnasium all have limited capacities (1,900-2,200), which would have made it necessary to limit guest tickets to 3 per student, with a limited number of 4th tickets available by lottery. The Commencement Committee did not see such a limitation of tickets as an option. The Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto was the nearest facility with the capacity to serve our needs and, hence, the only workable alternative.
Will I still be able to celebrate on campus post-Commencement ceremony?
Yes. The campus will remain open until 6 p.m. on Sunday following the ceremony for seniors and their families.
How many tickets will each graduate receive?
Each graduate will receive eight tickets via QR code to their eckerd.edu email one month before the ceremonies. Graduates can distribute their tickets as they wish.
What time may guests enter the BACC?
The venue doors will open at 8 a.m. for families and guests.
Is transportation provided from campus to the venue?
Yes. Students can reserve a seat on a coach bus from campus to the venue.
Where should I park?
Ample parking will be available at the venue. The BACC has a large driveway for drop-offs.
What time will the ceremony begin?
The procession of students will begin at 9:30 a.m. All guests must be in their seats by this time to see the entire processional. During the ceremony, guests are asked to leave their cellphones off and to remain seated.
Will there be a professional photographer?
A professional photographer will capture each graduate’s conferral. Ordering information for conferral photographs will be available at the ceremony. There also will be a team capturing candid shots before, during and after the ceremony. Those photos will be posted on the College’s Flickr.
How will students receive their diplomas?
Diplomas will be mailed to the address provided by the student on their Graduation Application. Please allow 8–10 weeks for delivery after spring semester has ended. For any questions regarding diplomas, please contact the Registrar’s Office.
What happens if there is inclement weather?
The Commencement ceremony will take place rain or shine.
Will refreshments be served?
Coffee and donuts, beginning at 8 a.m., will be served in the BACC lobby.
How do I order graduation regalia?
Regalia may be ordered through the Herff Jones website. Orders must be placed between Sunday, March 1, and Tuesday, March 31, 2026. If you require assistance, please contact the Campus Bookstore at 727.864.8350.
Does Eckerd College allow stoles and cords?
Eckerd College clubs and organizations may issue or provide stoles or cords to their members.
Is the ceremony livestreamed for guests who can’t attend in person?
Yes, the ceremony will be broadcast live on YouTube and subsequently archived on our Commencement playlist.
When must graduates vacate their residence halls?
All graduates must be moved out of their dorm room and vacate the residence hall by noon on Monday, May 18, 2026.
