FORT MYERS, Fla.- Friday, 38 Florida SouthWestern State student-athletes from five different sports, six different countries, and countless different backgrounds, walked across the stage in Suncoast Credit Union Arena to receive their diplomas during the Bucs commencement ceremony. One thing they all had in common; each left Fort Myers as champions, having all won at least one Conference Championship during their time at FSW.
Championships in sports are rare at any level, but the Bucs have made them commonplace over the past two seasons at FSW. Every member of the 2021 FSW graduating class will head to their next destination with hardware in hand including the Bucs Women's Basketball team who claimed Conference Championships in both the Suncoast and Southern Conferences. All 38 student-athletes also helped their teams to Top 10 National Rankings over the past two seasons led by the FSW Men's Basketball and Softball teams who each spent substantial time at #1.
But maybe more impressive than all of the on field and on court accolades that the 38 student-athletes accumulated the past two seasons, was their success in the classroom where the group put together better than a 3.00 cumulative GPA the past two years all while navigating numerous interruptions and changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, FSW put together a task force to focus efforts and resources on creating paths for students to earn their degrees and attain credentials throughout their different programs at the college. They named that group 'Dedicate to Graduate'. The Bucs Class of 2021 did just that. 38 student-athletes, from five different sports, six different countries, and countless different backgrounds did just that, dedicating themselves to earning their Associate's Degrees, while also leaving FSW as Champions in their sport.