Program
Commencement Ceremony
2026
WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
THE GRADUATION EXERCISES
MONDAY, MAY 18, 2026
The Graduation Exercises
MONDAY, MAY THE EIGHTEENTH
TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY-SIX
NINE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING
THOMAS K. HEARN JR. PLAZA
| THE CARILLON Selections for the Wake Forest University Class of 2026 | Anthony M. Tang, University Carillonneur Maxwell Schellhammer (’26) and Jack Sweeney (’28) Student Carillonneurs |
| THE PROCESSIONAL | The Brass Ensemble |
| THE PRAYER OF INVOCATION | The Reverend Julie Tonnesen Associate University Chaplain |
| WELCOME AND REMARKS TO THE GRADUATES | Susan R. Wente President |
| THE CONFERRING OF THE HONORARY DEGREES | Nell Jessup Newton Interim Provost |
| Susan R. Wente, Doctor of Humane Letters Presenting: Curt Farmer, Chair, Board of Trustees Conferring: Interim Provost Newton Hooding: Gerald Roach and Libba Evans, Trustees |
| Rev. Eugene Cho, Doctor of Divinity Presenting: Interim Provost Newton Conferring: President Wente Hooding: Corey D. B. Walker, Dean of Wake Forest School of Divinity and Wake Forest Professor of the Humanities |
| Misty Copeland, Doctor of Fine Arts Presenting: Interim Provost Newton Conferring: President Wente Hooding: Nina Lucas, Professor of Dance |
| COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS | Misty Copeland Ballet Dancer, Author and Founder |
| THE HONORING OF RETIRING FACULTY | Interim Provost Newton |
| FROM THE REYNOLDA CAMPUS |
| Polly W. Black, Ph.D., MBA, Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Timothy Davis, J.D., Bess and Walter Williams Professor of Law Pat H. Dickson, Ph.D., Dale and Karen Sisel Professor and Professor of Strategic Management Susan E. Fahrbach, Ph.D., Reynolds Professor of Developmental Neuroscience Steven J. Folmar, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Anthropology Joy Gambill, Teaching Librarian Mark A. Hall, J.D., Fred D. and Elizabeth L. Turnage Professor of Law Michael D. Hazen, Ph.D., Professor of Communication Joanne Inkman, Ph.D., Teaching Professor of Music Timothy R. Janke, J.D., LL.M., MBA, Professor of the Practice of Business Law Abdessadek Lachgar, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry Leah P. McCoy, Ed.D., Professor of Education Jonathan P. Pinder, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Quantitative Methods and Business Analytics Tim Pyatt, Librarian and Dean of Z. Smith Reynolds Library (2015-2025) Dick Schneider, J.D., Professor of Law Margaret Taylor, J.D., Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Law Olga L. Valbuena, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English |
| FROM THE MEDICAL CAMPUS |
| Howard Blumstein, M.D., Professor of Emergency Medicine Herbert L. Bonkovsky, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology Timothy N. Harwood, M.D., Associate Professor of Anesthesiology Gregory L. Kucera, Ph.D., Professor of Cancer Medicine Brenda Latham-Sadler, M.D., Professor of Family and Community Medicine Samuel S. Lentz, M.D., Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Barbara J. Nicklas, Ph.D., Professor of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics Jill Ohar, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Immunology Nancy S. Rosenthal, M.D., Professor of Pathology Neveen Said, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Cancer Biology Angela M. Sharkey, M.D., FAAP, Professor of Pediatrics Beverly M. Snively, Ph.D., Professor of Biostatistics and Data Science |
| THE ROTC COMMISSIONING | Lt . Col . John Flach Professor of Military Science |
| REMARKS FROM THE CLASS OF 2026 | Amaya Williams (’26) Student Government President |
| CONFERRING OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES Presented by | President Wente Jackie Krasas, Dean of the College Stacie Petter, Acting Dean of the School of Business |
| THE AWARDING OF BACHELOR’S DEGREES IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES |
| THE AWARDING OF BACHELOR’S DEGREES IN THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS |
| CLOSING REMARKS | Interim Provost Newton |
| THE ALMA MATER: “Dear Old Wake Forest” | Eatman and Paschal |
| Graduating Members of the Wake Forest University Chamber Choir |
| Dear old Wake Forest, Thine is a noble name; Thine is a glorious fame, Constant and true. We give thee of our praise, Adore thine ancient days, Sing thee our humble lays, Mother, so dear. |
| RECESSIONAL | The Brass Ensemble |
| THE CARILLON PEAL |
| COMMENCEMENT NOTES ■ The Commencement hashtag is #wfugrad. ■ Please silence all mobile devices during the ceremony. ■ This ceremony is being interpreted for the hearing-impaired by Communication Access Partners. ■ This ceremony will be livestreamed with closed captioning in Wait Chapel. ■ Full coverage of Commencement is available on the Wake Forest website: commencement.news.wfu.edu. |