On Saturday, May 2, 2026, Florida Southern College (FSC) awarded Lakeland Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley an honorary doctorate during its spring commencement ceremony at the RP Funding Center.
McCarley, a 1993 alumna of the college, received the degree of Doctor of Public Service, honoris causa, in recognition of her leadership and dedication to the Lakeland community.
Key Highlights from the Ceremony:
- Commencement Speaker: In addition to receiving the honorary degree, Mayor McCarley served as the keynote speaker. Her address focused on the “enduring impact of community,” the importance of service, and the value of taking chances.
- Historic Class Size: The event marked a milestone for the college, conferring degrees upon 583 graduates, making it the largest graduating class in Florida Southern’s history.
- Distinguished Career: The college highlighted McCarley’s extensive public service background, including:
- Developing national high school programs for Best Buddies International.
- Serving as Executive Director of Polk Vision.
- Founding the Randy Roberts Foundation to encourage civic engagement among young people.
This honor follows a tradition of FSC recognizing prominent local and national figures during commencement; for instance, NFL legend Rondé Barber received an honorary degree at the 2025 ceremony.
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