Grad Walk Details

The Spring | Summer 2022 Grad Walk is a voluntary opportunity for FGCU graduates to briefly take the stage while up to six (6) guests watch and cheer from the floor of Alico Arena. During Grad Walk, college by college, FGCU will shine a light on each Eagle at their registered time. 

The event includes:

• The reading aloud of each graduate’s name and degree.
• Professional photos of each graduate while on stage.
• A special gift from the FGCU Alumni Association.
• Photo opportunities so graduates and guests can capture key moments of the Grad Walk experience.

The Spring | Summer 2022 Grad Walk will take place Saturday, May 7, and Sunday, May 8, at Alico Arena, 12181 FGCU Lake Parkway E., Fort Myers, FL 33913.

Yes, complimentary parking is available outside Alico Arena.

Yes, graduates must register in advance for a specific date and time slot based on the schedule. Grads are required to check in at the registration tent outside of Alico Arena prior to attending Grad Walk.

Each graduate may have up to six (6) guests. You do not need to register any guests.

No. Only the graduating student needs to register. There are no physical tickets issued for Grad Walk, just a limit of six (6) guests that accompany the graduate, regardless of the age.

Graduates may choose to wear official commencement regalia or other professional attire. Official regalia is not required for Grad Walk. You can order regalia through the FGCU cap and gown order website as well as purchased or rented on campus at the FGCU bookstore. The bookstore is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. 

No. Official regalia is not required for the Grad Walk.

All graduating students will receive an official FGCU diploma case. The actual diplomas will be sent at a later date. Typically, diplomas are mailed approximately 60 days after graduation.

Visit the Spring | Summer 2022 Grad Walk website for details. The Grad Walk will not be live streamed.

Grad Walk was created as an innovative way to celebrate our students’ achievements on campus while prioritizing COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. At the time, indoor capacity limits were enforced, as was social distancing requirements. We quickly learned that Grad Walks were beneficial to the university, as the events addressed long-standing issues with housing commencement events on campus.

The growth of the university has made it difficult to manage parking, traffic and the turnover of Alico Arena for back-to-back commencement ceremonies. Prior to the pandemic, we were trying to schedule our commencements offsite at larger facilities. While those plans were put on hold during the early days of COVID-19, FGCU’s space and logistical issues didn’t go away. With our rising enrollments and grad rates, it’s done the opposite. While we are in the request queue for off-campus facilities, none were available when we needed them this spring.

As we continue to seek out other off-campus facilities that are better suited for holding large-scale commencements, the upcoming Grad Walk event is helping us honor graduates on campus in a format most have found enjoyable.