Student Events
Honors Convocation
Honors Convocation is a formal program welcoming freshmen to the Judy Genshaft Honors College, the University of South Florida, and the start of their university careers.
A UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA TRADITION
This festive ceremony takes place in the beginning of each Fall semester and has been held every year since the founding of the college. Beyond welcoming students, each USF campus has its own, unique convocation events and traditions.
WHEN AND WHERE
Tampa
- Date: Friday, Sept. 6, 2024
- Time: 2 - 3 p.m.
- Place: Judy Genshaft Honors College building // Zimmerman Family Foundation Atrium
HON 1001
St. Petersburg
- Date: Friday, Aug. 30, 2024
- Time: 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
- Place: Meet at Snell House // Procession to USC Ballroom 1
Sarasota-Manatee
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024
- Time: 2 - 3:30 p.m.
- Place: Selby Auditorium
BE A PART OF CONVOCATION
TAMPA CAMPUS
Marking an inspiring start to the Honors journey, the Tampa convocation ceremony welcomes first-year students to our vibrant USF community. Honors students will gather at the Judy Genshaft Honors College building for a ceremony led by the Honors dean and distinguished university leaders. During the event, they will learn about the unique opportunities that await them, including participation in events like the annual Grand Challenge Competition.
ST. PETERSBURG CAMPUS
At the St. Petersburg campus, the Honors Convocation tradition is to make beautiful music together! Honors students and faculty use fun, found instruments like tambourines, maracas, and kazoos to announce their presence on campus. They march from the historic Snell House courtyard to the University Student Center for an interactive convocation gathering that fosters a sense of community among the incoming class.
SARASOTA-MANATEE CAMPUS
In keeping with the intimate feel of the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, parents and current students join the Convocation ceremony. As the ceremony concludes, each new student receives a small white stone as a symbol of the foundation of their college education. At Honors Graduation a few years later, students write their names on the stones and return them to a vase, creating a visual representation of the legacy they leave behind at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus.
Learn more about the freshman experience at the Judy Genshaft Honors College: