Jeb Bush, Mayor Buddy Dyer Among UCF Commencement Speakers for Spring Graduation

The University of Central Florida announced earlier this week the six commencement speakers that will give speeches to more than 8,000 graduating students, according to a UCF press release.

The commencement ceremonies will take place May 3 through 5 at the CFE Federal Credit Union Arena.

Tom Kuntz, the former president and CEO of Suntrust Bank Florida, will be speaking at the commencement ceremony for the College of Arts and Humanities, College of Engineering and College of Optics and Photonics. He will speak on May 3 at the 9 a.m. ceremony.

Jeb Bush was Florida governor from 1999 to 2007, and was the first two-term republican Florida governor. He will be giving the commencement speeches for the college of Undergraduate Studies, College of Medicine, College of Graduate Studies and Rosen College of Hospitality Management on May 3 at 2:30 p.m.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer will be speaking at the commencement ceremony for the College of Sciences on May 4 at 9 a.m.

Carolyn Roberts, the founder and president of Roberts Realty in Ocala will speak at the commencement ceremony for the College of Education and Human Performance and the College of Nursing on May 4 at 2:30 p.m.

Jim Heekin, an attorney at Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kanter and Reed, will be speaking at the commencement ceremony for the College of business Administration on May 5 at 9 a.m.

Teresa Jacobs, the Orange County Mayor, will be speaking at the commencement ceremony for the College of Health and Public Affairs on May 5 at 2:30 p.m.

An estimated 8,118 students will be graduating, including 6,788 bachelor’s, 1,183 master’s and 147 doctoral degrees, according to the press release.
Doors open 90 minutes prior to each ceremony, though students and families should anticipate long lines due to security measures. Ceremonies will last for approximately two hours each, according to UCF’s schedule of ceremonies.

Correction: Previous edition of this story stated that Jeb Bush was first two-time governor of Florida. Correction issued to reflect that Bush was the first republican two-time governor of Florida.