HCC’s 56th commencement ceremony will be held in person at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Friday, May 2, 2025. All Fall 2024, Spring and Summer 2025 graduates and candidates are eligible to attend. This page will give you the most current information about commencement.
Commencement Location
Commencement will be held at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall, 4800 U.S. Hwy. 301 North, Tampa, FL 33610. Parking at the Fairgrounds is $10 for cars and $16 for RV/Bus. To pre-pay for parking please visit their website.
Commencement Apparel
Caps and gowns are currently available from the HCC Bookstore to purchase in the bookstores for in-store purchase.
Tickets
Registration for the ceremony and guest ticket requests will be available in early April. Each graduate will receive up to four complimentary guest tickets. All guests will be required to show a ticket for entry at Commencement. There are no additional guest tickets available. Guest tickets are complimentary and will not be sold at any campus bookstore location or the fairgrounds on commencement day. If you have applied to graduate and would like to attend the Commencement ceremony check your Hawkmail inbox and spam daily for the Next Steps - Register for Commencement email.
Commencement Day
7:15 am - Doors open
7:30 am - President's Breakfast
8:00 am - Arrive at Fairgrounds (For graduates who are not attending the President's Breakfast)
8:30 am - Student Line Up
9:30 am - Ceremony begins
Commencement Ceremony Guidelines
Please follow these important Commencement Guidelines for the safety and enjoyment of everyone.
Disabilities
If you require accommodations on the day of the ceremony, contact Jeanette Starks, Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities, at jstarks2@hccfl.edu or 813-253-7757.
Additional Information
Survey
An online survey will be available to graduates after the commencement ceremony. We ask that you take a few minutes to complete the graduate student survey via your Hawkmail email. We would like to learn from your experience at HCC.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to our Commencement Sponsor: Suncoast Credit Union