Lawrence celebrates the Class of 2026 at its 177th Commencement

As family and friends took their seats on Main Hall Green for Lawrence University's 177th Commencement ceremony, music filled the air, provided by the Graduation Band, conducted by Ceon D. Rumphs, Instructor of Music, and Matthew Arau '87, Associate Professor of Music Education and Symphonic Band.

As guests waited for the ceremony to begin, they tested their knowledge of Lawrence with trivia questions like, "What campus building is named after a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus?" and "What is the English translation of Björklunden, Lawrence's north campus?" that scrolled on the jumbo screens adjacent to the stage.

Class of 2026 makes their way onto Main Hall Green for the Commencement ceremony.

As the ceremony got underway, Lawrence faculty, attired in traditional regalia, processed across College Avenue and onto Main Hall Green led by Faculty Marshal and Associate Professor of English Celia Barnes and joined President Laurie A. Carter and other members of the platform party. They lined the sidewalk leading to the stage, greeting graduates as they processed to their seats amid the cheers of photo- and video-taking family and friends.

Class of 2026 on Commencement day

Honor and Respect
The ceremony opened with Director of Community Values, Engagement and Sustainability Carter Robinson sharing the institutional Land Acknowledgement statement of Appleton and Door County campuses being situated on the ancestral homelands of the Menomonee and Ho-Chunk peoples.

Terra Winston-Sage '00 encourages graduates to "Invent themselves, and then, re-invent themselves in the continued pursuit of personal development.

Terra Winston-Sage '00, the Julia Esch Hurvis Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life and Chaplain to the University, gave the Invocation. In her remarks, she praised the Class of 2026 for their willingness to speak out on values, justice, and community, while also urging adaptability and humility.

David R. Shepard '83, chair of the Board of Trustees

President Laurie A. Carter shares her thoughts on the Class of 2026.

Defined by Resilience
As more than 300 students waited for their names to be called for their walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, President Carter addressed the graduates and guests. She noted that the Class of 2026 had overcome unique challenges and described the class as one defined by resilience. They were the class that navigated the aftershocks of a global pandemic, she said, and spent their years rebuilding student life from the ground up and renewing campus traditions.

"You stepped forward and did the work," Carter said. "Four years later, you have built a community that reflects the very best of Lawrence." She added, "I have had the opportunity to get to know so many of you, and it has been a joy to witness your journeys unfold."

Carter said the Class of 2026 is the second full class she has seen progress from Welcome Week to Commencement during her time as president, noting that her own journey at Lawrence deepened alongside theirs.

"Your Lawrence journey does not end today," Carter said.

"Your experiences were shaped by classmates, faculty, staff, mentors, families, and alumni who challenged you, encouraged you, and believed in you." She noted, "This community will be with you as you leave this campus. Your experiences here have bound you to it and to generations of Lawrentians who came before you." She concluded, "Now go forth and make your mark."

Senior speaker Megan Eisenstein '26 encouraged the Class of 2026 to make a positive difference in the world.

Don't Be Afraid to Light Someone Else's Candle
Senior speaker Megan Eisenstein '26, a Government major with minors in Dance and Statistics, reflected on the memories, relationships, and experiences that shaped her Lawrence journey.

Drawing inspiration from Natasha Trethewey's poem, "Theory of Time and Space," which she encountered in her First-Year Studies course, Eisenstein encouraged her classmates to carry Lawrence with them as they move into the next chapter of their lives.

"Everywhere you go will be somewhere you've never been," Eisenstein said, quoting Trethewey's poem. "You are a mosaic of all these moments and the people whom you love."

Eisenstein spoke about the importance of community, belonging, and creating positive change in the world. She paid tribute to her late classmate Alex Stanger '25, a close friend whose life and example continue to inspire her.

"I won't pretend the world we are entering into isn't gripped with fear and hatred, but we will all play a part in loosening that grip through our lives," she said. "Build your community, and don't be afraid to light someone else's candle; it won't put yours out."

Marjorie Liu '00, Class of 2026, Commencement speaker

"What's Your Secret Story"
Commencement speaker Marjorie Liu '00 received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree before delivering a Commencement address centered on the idea of pursuing unspoken goals and embracing dreams that may seem impossible.

"What is your secret story? What is your secret dream?" she asked. "A dream that moves you, a dream that cannot be named because it is so outlandish, so strange, or so fragile that speaking of it might shatter the dream entirely?"

She encouraged graduates to embrace uncertainty rather than fear it. Liu spoke of her own experience at Lawrence, describing herself as shy and largely unknown on campus, yet profoundly transformed by her relationships with faculty. She credited late professor Peter Fritzell with helping her discover her calling as a writer and encouraging her to pursue a dream she once believed impossible.

"Remember that you, too, are a language," Liu told the graduates. "Remember to look deeper within yourself and read yourself with curiosity and deliberation."

Recognizing Teaching Excellence
Provost and Dean of the Faculty Peter Blitstein presented the 2026 faculty awards. Assistant Professor of German Petra Watzke, who joined the faculty in 2023, was honored with the Excellence in Teaching by an Early Career Faculty Member. Associate professor of Biology Alyssa Hakes, who joined the faculty in 2012, was honored with the Excellence in Teaching Award. Associate Professor of Music Esteli Gomez, who came to Lawrence in 2019 as a visiting artist with a successful performance career as a soprano soloist, was honored with the Excellence in Scholarship or Creative Activity award.

The university also recognized the retirement of Copeland Woodruff, the Mary and Michael Jaharis Director of Opera Studies and Associate Professor of Music, bestowing an honorary Master of Arts degree in recognition of his distinguished service and leadership in building Lawrence's nationally recognized opera program.

After the highlight of the morning - the conferral of degrees - the graduates prepared for one final Lawrence tradition of recessing through the Memorial Hall Arch, signifying their transition from student to alumnus.

"You entered carrying hopes, questions, and ambitions," Carter told the graduates. "You are leaving carrying knowledge, friendships, and a deeper understanding of who you are."

For members of the Class of 2026, the walk through the arch marked, not just an ending, but the beginning of a new chapter shaped by the lessons, relationships, and sense of purpose they developed during their time at Lawrence University.

Watch the complete 2026 Commencement ceremony