Colgate University’s 205th Commencement Celebrates the Class of 2026

Graduates received their degrees under blue skies and sunshine Sunday morning as the Colgate University community celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2026, May 15-17.

Throughout the weekend, members of the graduating class - who arrived at Colgate at the tail end of a global pandemic and are leaving as the world undergoes rapid technological changes - were reminded to keep seeking what grounds them.

In remarks at Saturday afternoon's baccalaureate service, University President Brian W. Casey stressed the lifelong importance of addressing the question "What are you committed to?" Casey explained the significance of the query by specifying that "a commitment is different from a preference, which can be lightly held, and it is different from a plan, which often changes. A commitment asks something of us. It's deeper somehow. It can hold you steady when the next step is not yet visible."

Such positions, he further noted, arrive in a variety of forms and at unexpected junctures, for "part of the wonder of life is that our commitments can emerge and deepen over time. Some are chosen. Some are discovered. Some arrive through loss. Some arrive through love. But I hope Colgate has helped you begin to know yours."

Also addressing the class at Saturday's service, journalist Ann Curry - who was awarded an honorary doctorate at Sunday's commencement ceremony - encouraged the Class of 2026 to find sources of consolation amid life's inevitable chaos. "I encourage you to collect your own consolations," Curry urged the graduates. "Choose what most resonates with you. Keep them close…. They will grow. And you might well find you can breathe easier during your worst of times and feel inspired toward your best of times."

At the Sunday commencement exercises in Andy Kerr Stadium, 767 undergraduates were recognized for earning a bachelor of arts degree and nine graduate students were awarded a master of arts in teaching.

This year's graduating class includes Sohail Nabi '26, who tragically passed away in a kayaking accident last weekend. Nabi was the first graduate recognized in Sunday's ceremony. His academic adviser, Maura Tumulty, professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy, accepted the diploma on his behalf. Classmates and other members of the campus community reflected on Nabi's life in a candlelight vigil held in Memorial Chapel on Wednesday evening.

The commencement keynote speaker was Ole Obermann '93, global head of Apple Music. He expressed hope that, alongside the knowledge graduates have gained at Colgate, they can also take with them human connections, chance encounters, and serendipitous classes that no algorithm or artificial intelligence could provide. "Your personal relationships will become even more important in the future," Obermann said. "And Colgate has prepared you very well for that. Colgate attracts and trains great minds with an extraordinary ability to interact with others. Make sure you connect the dots that Colgate puts out there for you."

Calling attention to the massive transformations that will accompany the expansion of artificial intelligence, Obermann maintains a belief in the importance of human imagination and experience: "There is a growing sentiment that AI can take over creativity as stories, scripts, songs, and designs become automated. I feel exactly the opposite is true. Soul, love, joy, and taste will matter even more in the future."

Obermann's message included words of encouragement: "The greatest impact in life will happen when you feel uncomfortable. In those situations, stick to the courage of your conviction…. Make mistakes, because I am certain you will land on your feet." He finished his remarks by sharing a playlist of 13 songs he created for the graduates on Apple Music.

Class of 2026

• 767 undergraduates earned a bachelor of arts degree
• 9 awarded a master of arts in teaching, four with distinction
• Valedictorian: Peter Flynn McGrath, of Washington, D.C.; summa cum laude, physics major and German minor; high honors in physics; elected to Phi Beta Kappa
• Salutorian: Andrew Reinhard Hatfield, of New York, N.Y.; summa cum laude, economics major and computer science and mathematics minors
• 33 elected to Phi Beta Kappa
• 168 summa cum laude
• 257 magna cum laude
• 140 cum laude