[NEW] Commencement 2025 - LIVESTREAM!
Join us for the New College of Florida alternative graduation ceremony!
Thursday, May 22nd with the livestream starting at 5:45 PM EST!
The Program
5:00 pm - Event doors open, food and drinks available
6:00 pm - Ceremony begins
Graduating Catalyst editor
Graduating NCSA president
NCA representative
Dr. Peggy Bates Award Presentation
Speaker: Viet Thanh Nguyen
Presentation of graduates
Closing words
8:15 pm - Sunset by the bay!
9:00 pm - Bands, music, food, pictures, and final farewells!
Keynote Speaker:
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Aerol Arnold Chair of English, and Professor of English and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, Viet Thanh Nguyen, will deliver the keynote for the Alternative Commencement hosted by New College of Florida graduates.
Nguyen won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel, The Sympathizer, which was turned into an HBO limited series, and received fellowships from the Guggenheim and MacArthur Foundations. Students chose Nguyen both for the enjoyment of his novels and because his writing explores themes of identity, uncertainty, and navigating political power and propaganda—all of which are familiar themes for this group of graduates.
The NCA is extremely honored to have worked with the Student Organizing Committee in bringing Nguyen to Sarasota for this special event!
The Novo Collegian Alliance is so proud to work with this year’s student committee to put on another magical, memorable event for students, their families, and friends!
This event builds on the success of the first [NEW] Commencement in 2023 and continued at [NEW] Commencement 2024!