Stetson Law Celebrates 2026 Grads in Clearwater
In the early evening on Saturday, May 16, Stetson University College of Law marked a major milestone for more than 300 students who successfully completed their law school journey.
The Spring 2026 Commencement ceremony took place at The BayCare Sound in Clearwater. The ceremony recognized the classes of December 2025 as well as May and August of 2026.
Stetson Law Vice Dean Jason Palmer led the event. He was joined onstage by Stetson University Provost Elizabeth Skomp, Stetson University Board of Trustees Chair Steven Alexander, Stetson University College of Law Board of Overseers Chair Jason Turner, Associate Dean for Assessment and Professional Engagement Anne Mullins, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Veterans Law Institute Director Stacey-Rae Simcox, and other distinguished members of the Stetson Law community.
To kick off the event, Stetson Law Dean D. Benjamin Barros praised the graduating students for showing character as they faced the rigors of law school and mastering the skills that lawyers need to be successful.
“Here at Stetson Law, you learned to lead with empathy, resourcefulness, and commitment,” he said. “That commitment is evident in the more than 27,000 hours of legal and non-legal pro bono service contributed by you and your classmates. That spirit of service will define your careers just as much as your legal skill.”
Stetson University President Christopher Roellke urged the graduates to remain steadfast in their commitment to justice – and said that their success at Stetson Law demonstrates that they can do even amid times of unprecedented change.
“You have not only met the rigorous demands of a Stetson legal education, you have done so during a time of profound complexity and change in our world,” he said. “In doing so, you have developed the critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and practical skills that will enable you to lead and serve with distinction.”
Alumni words of wisdom
Current Stetson Law Board of Overseers Chair Jason Turner ’04, a successful lawyer in the music industry, encouraged the graduates to remain committed to ethics and professional responsibility for the duration of their careers.
“As lawyers, we are so deeply privileged to do what we do for a living,” he said. “It is a calling with a deeply important responsibility. People will come to you for help with their challenges. And most of all, they are going to trust that you never forget our greatest calling: to represent the client’s interest with the utmost integrity, respect and humility each step of the way. And never forget “who” the client actually is while doing your job – and that no client is ever worth losing your reputation or license.”
Reflecting on the adage, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is today,” Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association President Howard Williams said the graduates’ Stetson roots will create lifelong connections that will serve them well.
“Your destiny begins with the tree you are planting today,” Williams said. “Five, ten, 15, or 20 years from now, you will look back and realize this was one of the greatest decisions of your life.”
Student Bar Association President William Austin Dodson applauded his classmates for making it through law school – primarily their final year, which had unique challenges.
“Some say that character is not something law school can teach. I disagree,” Dodson said. “I believe this place has been shaping exactly that in all of us. In the way you supported each other. In the way you showed up when it mattered. In the way you handled setbacks, disagreements, and uncertainty. Those experiences matter. They will stay with you long after today.”
Engaging keynote from a distinguished alum
Distinguished tech leader and 1996 alumnus Michael Loparco delivered an engaging commencement keynote.
With more than 25 years’ experience building and growing highly technical and cross-border manufacturing businesses, he served as CEO of Symbotic, an AI and software-enabled warehouse robotics and automation company, and spent more than two decades at Jabil Inc., where he was responsible for driving growth, innovation, and digital transformation. Before joining Jabil, he practiced corporate and commercial litigation.
He said the capabilities and qualities Stetson Law instills in its students will empower them to speak confidently, but with humility, in places where they may not yet feel like they belong.
“You don’t need to have it all figured out,” Loparco said. “Because the best parts of your life will not come from the master plan. They will come from the moments you had the courage to step outside it.”
Post date: May 17
Media contact: Kate Bradshaw
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