TAMPA, Fla. — For the first time ever, the University of South Florida held its commencement ceremonies online. The ceremonies featured nearly 7,500 graduates from its three campuses.
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Natalie Rodriguez, 18, was the youngest Spring Class of 2020 graduate. Like many others, she watched the ceremony on YouTube.
Considering she has diabetes, she wasn’t too upset about the commencement being held online.
“Of course it’s a bummer that you won’t be able to actually wear your cap and gown across the stage for now, but keeping everyone safe is better than exposing thousands of people just for a graduation; it’s not that important when you put it at that level,” said Natalie Rodriguez.
The Tampa native attended Leto Collegiate Academy and received her associate’s degree from Hillsborough Community College was she was 16. She then went on to study Aging Science at University of South Florida’s Main Campus.
Her graduation is an important milestone for her family. The Cuban-American is the first to graduate from college in her family.
“At my age, my parents, my dad he was coming from Cuba in a raft that he made with his neighbors and he made it here and if he hadn’t made it here, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” explained Natalie Rodriguez.
She wants to pursue her master’s degree next and eventually become a physician, specializing in geriatrics.
USF’s spring graduates have been invited to participate in the university’s traditional in-person commencement ceremonies scheduled for August.
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