May 6, 2026
Media Advisory: U of A will confer about 10,000 degrees at Commencement
- What: 162nd University of Arizona Commencement
- When: Friday, May 15, 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.
- Where: Casino Del Sol Stadium
- Media parking: Lot 8110 at the southeast corner of North Warren Avenue and East Sixth Street, across the street and just southeast of Arizona Stadium.
- RSVP: Please RSVP to media_requests@list.arizona.edu by noon Wednesday, May 13, to reserve a media credential. Credentials will be available for pickup May 15, beginning at 4:30 p.m., at Lot 8110.
TUCSON, Ariz. – University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella will confer about 10,000 bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional degrees at the university's 162nd Commencement on May 15.
The approximately 90-minute ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Casino Del Sol Stadium and will be streamed live on YouTube. More than 30,000 guests attend the university's Commencement celebration each year.
Eric Schmidt, former CEO and Chairman of Google, co-founder of Schmidt Sciences and a leading architect in the era of artificial intelligence, will deliver the Commencement address. Schmidt Sciences is partnering with the U of A as a key collaborator on Lazuli – the world's first fully privately funded space telescope.
Schmidt is the author of four New York Times best-selling books, and co-founder with his wife, Wendy, of several philanthropic organizations working to make the world healthy, resilient and secure for all. Schmidt Sciences is developing the world's first fully privately funded space telescope, for which the U of A will develop instruments that will advance a range of astrophysical investigations.
Casino Del Sol Stadium Gates 3, 4, 6 and 7 will open to guests at 6 p.m. Guest seating is first come, first served, and no tickets are required. The university will enforce game‑day security procedures at all guest entrances, including the stadium's clear bag policy and screening through metal detectors. Large bags, backpacks, or parcels are not permitted, and all personal items must be carried in an approved clear bag.
The SafeCats app provides campus maps, real-time garage occupancy, ceremony schedules and the latest safety updates.
More information for guests is available on the Commencement website.
Honorary degree and Alumni Achievement Award recipients
Schmidt will receive an honorary Doctor of Science from the U of A College of Science. He is one of five honorary degree recipients. The others are:
- Alice Chaiten Baker, Doctor of Humane Letters, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Gabrielle Giffords, Doctor of Letters, College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture
- F. Ronald Rayner, Doctor of Science, College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences
- Scott Stuber, Doctor of Fine Arts, College of Fine Arts
The university will also recognize Eller College of Management and James E. Rogers College of Law alumnus Cisco Aguilar as this year's Alumni Achievement Award winner. Aguilar currently serves as Nevada's secretary of state.
Read more about this year's honorary degree and Alumni Achievement Award recipients.
Student award winners
Seven outstanding graduating students will be presented awards at Commencement. The awards and their recipients are:
- Provost Award: Grant Palmer, who is graduating summa cum laude with honors with a Bachelor of Science in medicine and a minor in biochemistry.
- Robert Logan Nugent Award: Alicia Salazar Conteras, who is graduating with dual degrees in speech, language, and hearing sciences, and in Spanish; and Lane Vazquez Luna, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry with a minor in classics.
- Robie Gold Medal Awards: Braelyn Huff, who is graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and in politics, philosophy, economics, and law; and Gabriel Trinidad, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in physiology and medical sciences, with minors in Spanish and biochemistry.
- Merrill P. Freeman Medals: Imon Contractor, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in operations and supply chain management; and Nicholas Davis, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting.
Read more about the student award winners.
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Media contact:
University Communications
520-621-8747
media_requests@list.arizona.edu
Established in 1885, the University of Arizona is the state's flagship, land-grant institution. The U of A ranks among America's top institutions, focusing on student access and success while driving a $1 billion research enterprise and engaging communities throughout the state, nation and world. As a leading Research 1 institution and member of the Association of American Universities, the U of A advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships. With two accredited medical schools, designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, recognition as a premier university for service members, distinguished programs in management information systems, planetary sciences, dance, photography, and public and applied humanities, the U of A offers the world to its students while uplifting Arizona.