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College of Public Health & Health Professions University of Florida

PHHP honors the Class of 2026

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graduates in caps and gowns seated in rows smiling and waving

By Jill Pease

Sarah Swim in cap and gown standing at podium speaking
Sarah Swim, distinguished student speaker

The University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions has added 655 new graduates to its alumni family. These undergraduate, master’s, Ph.D. and professional students were recognized at university, college, department and program ceremonies at the end of the spring semester.

The college’s spring recognition ceremony, held May 3 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, individually recognized bachelor’s and master’s degree graduates, and for the first time, featured a student as the distinguished speaker. In her remarks, Sarah Swim, B.P.H. ’25, M.P.H. in social and behavioral sciences ’26, noted that although graduates are pursuing different fields in the health professions and public health, they share a common purpose.

“Our careers demand that we are excellent, even in uncertainty,” she said. “This can be frustrating, difficult and even scary at times, but it’s important to remember that, at some point, every graduate sitting here now, and every alum who sat in these seats before us, once made the same choice to dedicate their lives to service.”

Swim shared a recent experience with rejection while applying for post-graduate fellowship positions. After not being selected for a position with a top program, she struggled with feelings of failure.

“As we all are navigating next steps, it can be confusing to grapple with the reality that the future you’ve been dreaming about starting is also something you’re afraid of not having,” she told graduates. “My advice in these moments is to lean on your community. My parents have supported me every step of the way through this process and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Swim was later selected for a prestigious fellowship in emerging infectious disease research through the Kennedy Kreiger Institute. Starting this summer, she will conduct respiratory virus studies with scientists at the University of Minnesota and the Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence.

Swim closed with a prediction for the latest group of PHHP graduates.

“I believe you will be successful because you made a choice rooted in purpose,” she said. “You are part of a network of professionals who share your commitment to serving others. This unity is our strength as we enter a new chapter.”

Recognition ceremony recording
Ceremony program
Watch graduation highlights

PHHP recognition ceremony, May 3

graduate in cap and gown with arms upraised and large smile
graduate in cap and gown smiling and waving audience
Graduate in a black cap and gown stands on stage with both hands raised, wearing a red stole, multiple honor cords, and a patterned shirt underneath. A dark blue curtain and gold drapery form the backdrop, with part of a university seal visible behind.
Graduate in a black cap and gown stands on stage in front of a curtain and university seal, raising one arm in acknowledgment. The graduate wears a white stole with blue trim, honor cords, and visible Greek letters “ΚΑΘ,” with overhead stage lighting illuminating the scene.

Photos by Lindsay Gamble and Ashleigh Lucas

Universitywide commencement ceremony, May 1

Three graduates wearing black caps and gowns stand close together in a crowded stadium, smiling at the camera. Each person wears blue stoles, cords, and medals, with blurred spectators and orange stadium seating in the background.
Two graduates seated among a large crowd look toward the ceremony while holding smartphones. Both wear black caps and gowns with blue stoles, surrounded by many other graduates in a stadium filled with spectators.
A group of graduates stand in a row wearing caps, gowns, and blue stoles, looking toward the ceremony. Some hold phones, and a large, crowded stadium fills the background.
Close-up of a graduate wearing a black cap and blue stole, hands clasped together in front, with a blurred stadium audience and graduation setting in the background.

Photos by Sophia Abolfathi and Exa Moseley

Universitywide doctoral commencement ceremony, April 30

Close-up of a graduate in blue doctoral regalia and cap with an orange tassel, standing on stage while a faculty member adjusts the hood around the graduate’s shoulders. Another faculty member in academic robes stands nearby, with blurred stadium seating and bright overhead lights in the background.
A graduate in a blue doctoral gown walks forward while raising a hand, holding a diploma. Other graduates and faculty in academic regalia sit and stand around the stage area, with stadium seating behind them.
A graduate in blue doctoral robes stands on stage with hands pressed together while faculty members in black academic gowns stand nearby. The setting is a large indoor arena with seating and greenery in the background.
A group of graduates in blue doctoral regalia sit together in a stadium, with one person raising a hand while others look toward the ceremony. Rows of dark seats and people standing in the background are out of focus.

Photos by Exa Moseley