SYRACUSE, NY -- Syracuse University's graduation rate for student-athletes ranks among the nation's best for male and female student-athletes in the most recent NCAA graduation rates report. The four-year cohort included in this report includes classes that enrolled between 1993 and 1997. During that time, SU's female student-athletes tied for 10th nationally in Division I-A with an 85 percent graduation rate, while Orange male student-athletes ranked eighth in the country with a graduation rate of 75 percent.
The Orange football program's graduation rate ranks sixth nationally among all Division I schools and is tied for second among Division I-A football schools. For the four-year cohort, the SU football program had an 83 percent graduation rate. Vanderbilt ranks first with an 84 percent graduation rate, while SU is tied with Duke and Northwestern in second.
During this time period, SU had a graduation rate of 75 percent or all students, including 77 percent for females and 72 percent for males.
This weekend more than 80 SU student-athletes, including more than 50 who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, will earn their degrees with the Class of 2004. SU's schools and colleges will hold convocations on Saturday, May 8 at various times and in many locations throughout campus and the University's 150th Commencement is scheduled for Sunday, May 9 in the Carrier Dome. The Student Procession will begin will begin at 9:20 a.m. followed by the Academic Procession at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony, which will feature Phylicia Rashad as the commencement speaker, is expected to conclude at 11:30 a.m.