This episode features Jason Degen, director of Commencement for the University of Florida. In his role, he coordinates graduation and recognition ceremonies for the 16 colleges and professional schools and the annual Spring university-wide graduation ceremony on Florida Field in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the UF campus. At this university-wide ceremony bachelor’s, master’s and specialist’s degrees are conferred by a member of the UF Board of Trustees, undergraduates' tassels are turned and the UF Alumni Association will welcome the graduating class as alumni for the first time. Chris Malachowsky, a cofounder of NVIDIA, UF alumnus and the namesake for Malachowsky Hall will address the graduates. In Spring 2026, nearly 10,000 candidates will receive degrees. The Levin College of Law and the College of Dentistry graduates will be honored at commencements later in the Spring.
Degen shares information on the year-long process of planning for fall, spring and summer commencements and the use of Tassel, an artificial intelligence-assisted system designed to address a recurring issue at graduation — name pronunciation. His goal is to make sure students feel like they’ve been as best represented as possible.
More information is available at commencement.ufl.edu.
