2026 Commencement Weekend
Congratulations Class of 2026! Prepare for Wake Forest University’s Commencement weekend on May 15–18. Graduation Exercises, where the President will confer undergraduate degrees, is on the morning of Monday, May 18 on Hearn Plaza, beginning at 9 a.m.
Graduate Students
For graduate students, click below to find out more information.
Out of the Forest
Next Steps for Graduating Seniors
If you are a graduating senior, please visit the Out of the Forest website for important deadlines and information you need to know before you leave Mother So Dear.
Ceremony & Event Details
Commencement is a special time when graduates, family members, and friends gather to celebrate their time spent at Wake. We hope you will be able to join us in celebration.
Schedule of Events
These events will celebrate our 2026 graduates. Some events, including the Baccalaureate and commencement ceremonies, will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. Click below to visit the Schedule of Events page for a complete listing of Commencement Weekend activities and events.
May
15-17
Hooding & Commencement Ceremonies (Professional Schools)
Sunday,
May 17
Baccalaureate Ceremony
11 a.m. ET
Monday,
May 18
Commencement Ceremony
9 a.m. ET
2026 Commencement Speakers
Misty Copeland
Activist, Author, Founder, and the first Black woman to become a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre.
Rev. Eugene Cho
President and CEO of Bread for the World, a nationwide Christian advocacy organization that educates on hunger and equips people to advocate for policies to end it in the U.S. and around the world.