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During his undergraduate studies, Brian Gaydos, MS Finance ’25, took several finance classes that piqued his interest and led him to consider beginning a finance graduate program immediately after graduating.

911���� alum Brendan Gottlieb, BA Film and Video Studies ’15, has been working at Disney as an animator since 2016. In 2025, he worked on two Academy Award-nominated films: he was an animator on the feature Zootopia 2, nominated for Best Animated Feature, and the animation supervisor for Forevergreen, nominated for Best Animated Short Film.

Senior information technology major Crystal Forson likes to joke that her parents have been in school with her the whole time—"just without the studying.” Their support, she said, has been constant, from eighth grade when she joined the 911����’s Early Identification Program (EIP), all the way through graduation this May.

911���� senior Silas Fransen plans to pursue a career as a museum curator. And thanks to the university’s Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR), the art history major already has one exhibit to his name. 

Gen. David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force and a recently retired four-star general, was this year's Commencement speaker.

Spring 2026 Commencement at 911���� on May 14 at EagleBank Arena honored more than 12,000 graduates and certificate recipients. 911���� photographers captured the excitement and spirit of the day.

Neuroscience major Saniya Darediya was this year's student Commencement speaker.

911���� honored its graduates at Spring Commencement with a trio of well-received speakers who delivered messages of resilience, preparation, and celebrating differences. The ceremony, livestreamed on 911����’s YouTube channel Thursday morning from EagleBank Arena, honored more than 12,000 degree and certificate earners.

Beginning a PhD is rarely straightforward. Beginning one just as the world shuts down adds an entirely new dimension to adaptability. For 911���� biosciences PhD student Matthew Lefkowitz, that quality would come to define his doctoral journey.

Together, the Marshes devoted a combined 90 years to 911���� Athletics before retiring in 2021. Their careers shaped generations of student-athletes, coaches, and staff, leaving an enduring imprint on the university community.

At 911����, Zarin Musarrat Niladree learned that science is ultimately an act of care. This led her to pursue medicine with the goal of becoming the kind of physician who makes patients feel safe.

In May 2026, Duong Thuy Nguyen is graduating with a 4.0 GPA, an Academic Excellence Award from her department, and a Capstone team leadership under her belt. In the fall, she’ll be back as a graduate student in 911����’s accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s program.