You have gone the distance at a distance
President Kent Fuchs draws on the life of alumnus Stephan Mickle and the words of Tom Petty in his commencement speech for 2021 and 2020 master’s and bachelor’s graduates.
Graduates in the Class of 2021 …
It’s a great feeling to celebrate with you here … physically! … in person! … in Exactech Arena.
Every Gator graduate earns their coveted diploma after completing the academic demands of their University of Florida degree. But, Class of 2021, you have done something more. You have gone the distance at a distance. You have triumphed over a historic challenge. You are the first class to have in-person graduation ceremonies amid this pandemic. I am so happy to see you in all three dimensions. Congratulations!
Florida Legislature honors George Starke Jr.
The Florida Legislature has recognized George Starke Jr., the first African-American student at University of Florida, for the important role he played in the desegregation of higher education institutions in Florida.
The resolution, sponsored by state Sen. Perry Thurston and state Rep. Geraldine Thompson, honors Starke, who enrolled at UF in September 1958, four years after segregation was declared unconstitutional in Brown vs. Board of Education.
Starke was 27 years old at the time and pursuing his dream of earning a law degree. Ultimately, the physical and emotional pressures of being the only African-American student at UF took their toll, and Starke withdrew after just three semesters to take a job on Wall Street.
University of Florida
The Florida Legislature has recognized George Starke Jr., the first African-American student at University of Florida, for the important role he played in the desegregation of higher education institutions in Florida.
The resolution, sponsored by state Sen. Perry Thurston and state Rep. Geraldine Thompson, honors Starke, who enrolled at UF in September 1958, four years after segregation was declared unconstitutional in Brown vs. Board of Education.
Starke was 27 years old at the time and pursuing his dream of earning a law degree. Ultimately, the physical and emotional pressures of being the only African-American student at UF took their toll, and Starke withdrew after just three semesters to take a job on Wall Street.