Commencement 2026

On the morning of Friday, June 5, 2026, under warm sunshine and clear skies on the Hill, 148 members of the Class of 2026, the largest graduating class in Hopkins history, received their diplomas, surrounded by family, friends, faculty, and staff.

The ceremony began with an invocation by Reverend Joseph MacNeill, Chaplain of St. Thomas More, the Catholic Chapel and Center at Yale University.

Gabriel Ciminiello, President of the Class of 2026, delivered the Salutatory Address. Reflecting on the growth and resilience of his classmates, Ciminiello encouraged graduates to embrace uncertainty, continue taking risks, and support one another as they move forward. Ciminiello closed his speech with a short performance of the song “High School Musical” as the audience clapped and sang along.

Valedictorian Michael Illuzzi reflected on the power of curiosity, adaptability, and human connection. After opening his remarks with an intentionally AI-generated introduction as a way to show its staleness and lack of humanity, Illuzzi emphasized the uniquely human qualities that define meaningful experiences and relationships. He encouraged classmates to embrace uncertainty and remain open to growth, noting that young people should not feel pressure to have everything figured out.

Head of School Matt Glendinning addressed the graduates by reflecting on the remarkable journey of a class that experienced both a global pandemic and the emergence of artificial intelligence during their years at Hopkins. He praised the Class of 2026 for their resilience, achievements, and commitment to one another. Glendinning highlighted the class’s academic, athletic, artistic, and service accomplishments before encouraging them to embrace the opportunities ahead.

“Whatever path you take, you are likely to encounter new ideas, new people, and whole realms of study and thought that you didn’t even know existed.”

Following the speeches, Gwen Evans ’84, Chair of the Hopkins Committee of Trustees, accompanied by Joshua Young, Head Adviser to the Class of 2026, delivered diplomas to each graduating senior.

Adelphi University [1]
Amherst College [1]
Bard College [2]
Barnard College [1]
Bates College [2]
Bentley University [1]
Binghamton University [1]
Boston College [7]
Boston University [6]
Brandeis University [3]
Brown University [4]
Bryn Mawr College [1]
Carleton College [1]
Case Western Reserve University [1]
Colby College [1]
Colgate University [1]
College of the Atlantic [1]
College of the Holy Cross [1]
Columbia University [1]
Cornell University [7]
Denison University [1]
Duke University [1]
Georgetown University [3]
Harvard University [3]
Haverford College [1]
Jagiellonian University in Krakow [1]
McGill University [2]
NYU Shanghai [1]
New York University [5]
Northeastern University [4]
Oberlin College [1]
Penn State University (Scranton) [1]
Princeton University [1]
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [1]
Scripps College [1]
Skidmore College [1]
Smith College [1]
Spelman College [2]
Stanford University [2]
Swarthmore College [1]
Texas A&M University [1]
The University of Edinburgh [1]
Trinity College [1]
Trinity College Dublin [1]
Tufts University [6]
Tulane University [1]
University of California (Berkeley) [3]
University of California (Los Angeles) [1]
University of California (San Diego) [1]
University of Chicago [5]
University of Connecticut (Stamford) [1]
University of Connecticut [8]
University of Maryland [1]
University of Massachusetts [2]
University of Miami [1]
University of Michigan [1]
University of New Haven [2]
University of Notre Dame [4]
University of Pittsburgh [1]
University of Rhode Island [1]
University of Richmond [2]
University of Rochester [1]
University of Toronto [1]
Villanova University [1]
Wesleyan University [4]
William & Mary [1]
Worcester Polytechnic Institute [1]
Yale University [14]