{"id":33729,"date":"2026-05-17T13:38:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T17:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stetson.edu\/law\/news\/?p=33729"},"modified":"2026-05-28T16:51:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T20:51:26","slug":"stetson-law-celebrates-2026-grads-in-clearwater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stetson.edu\/law\/news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/17\/stetson-law-celebrates-2026-grads-in-clearwater\/","title":{"rendered":"Stetson Law Celebrates 2026 Grads in Clearwater"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Stetson Law 2026 Commencement took place at BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stetson Law Vice Dean Jason Palmer<\/strong> led the event. He was joined onstage by Stetson University Provost Elizabeth Skomp<\/strong>, Stetson University Board of Trustees Chair Steven Alexander<\/strong>, Stetson University College of Law Board of Overseers Chair Jason Turner<\/strong>, Associate Dean for Assessment and Professional Engagement Anne Mullins<\/strong>, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Veterans Law Institute Director Stacey-Rae Simcox<\/strong>, and other distinguished members of the Stetson Law community.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Left to right: Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Veterans Law Institute Director Stacey-Rae Simcox, Associate Dean for Assessment and Professional Engagement Anne Mullins, and 1996 alumnus Michael Loparco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To kick off the event, Stetson Law Dean D. Benjamin Barros<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere at Stetson Law, you learned to lead with empathy, resourcefulness, and commitment,\u201d he said. \u201cThat 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stetson University President Christopher Roellke<\/strong> urged the graduates to remain steadfast in their commitment to justice \u2013 and said that their success at Stetson Law demonstrates that they can achieve great things even amid times of unprecedented change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou 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,\u201d he said. \u201cIn doing so, you have developed the critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and practical skills that will enable you to lead and serve with distinction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alumni words of wisdom<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Current Stetson Law Board of Overseers Chair Jason Turner \u201904, a successful lawyer in the music industry, encouraged the graduates to remain committed to ethics and professional responsibility for the duration of their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs lawyers, we are so deeply privileged to do what we do for a living,\u201d he said. \u201cIt 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\u2019s<\/em> interest with the utmost integrity, respect and humility each step of the way. And never forget \u201cwho\u201d the client actually is while doing your job \u2013 and that no client is ever worth losing your reputation or license.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting on the adage, \u201cThe best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is today,\u201d Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association President Howard Williams<\/strong> said the graduates\u2019 Stetson roots will create lifelong connections that will serve them well.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Members of Stetson Law’s Class of 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cYour destiny begins with the tree you are planting today,\u201d Williams said. \u201cFive, ten, 15, or 20 years from now, you will look back and realize this was one of the greatest decisions of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student Bar Association President William Austin Dodson applauded his classmates for making it through law school \u2013 primarily their final year, which had unique challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome say that character is not something law school can teach. I disagree,\u201d Dodson said. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engaging keynote from a distinguished alum<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Distinguished tech leader and 1996 alumnus Michael Loparco<\/strong> delivered an engaging commencement keynote.<\/p>\n\n\n

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1996 alumnus and 2026 commencement speaker Joe Loparco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

With more than 25\u202fyears\u2019\u202fexperience\u202fbuilding and growing highly technical and cross-border manufacturing businesses, he served as CEO of\u202fSymbotic, an AI and software-enabled warehouse robotics and automation company, and spent more than two decades at Jabil Inc., where he\u202fwas responsible for\u202fdriving growth, innovation, and digital transformation. Before joining Jabil, he practiced corporate and commercial litigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don’t need to have it all figured out,\u201d Loparco said. \u201cBecause 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WATCH: Full 2026 Commencement Video<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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