Marquette University’s 145th Commencement was held Saturday, May 9, with 1,842 undergraduates, 819 master’s degree recipients, 417 professional studies graduates and 88 Ph.D. recipients celebrating at Fiserv Forum.
Facts about the undergraduate Class of 2026:
- 22.7% of graduates are First Generation
- 28.1% of graduates are students of color
- Graduates represent 41 states and Puerto Rico
- Most popular majors, by size of graduating class: Nursing, Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Finance
Below are some highlights of the speeches shared during Commencement weekend and photo galleries from each of the ceremonies:
President Kimo Ah Yun
“This is what makes Marquette special. It is ever evolving, ever changing, but it remains based in its guiding values: Faith, Excellence, Leadership and Service. You learn the value of a Catholic, Jesuit education. You learn what it means to Be The Difference. You learn how to be individuals for and with others. You learn the importance of finding your people. Know this: when you surround yourself with people who are committed to the same mission, vision and values, you become better. When each of us becomes better, Marquette and the world become better. The world needs a strong Marquette and the world needs strong Marquette graduates.”
Chris Duffey, 2026 undergraduate Commencement speaker
“You are entering the world at a time of consequential change. In fact, the Jesuit tradition itself emerged during another great transformation in human history — a moment shaped by the printing press, scientific discovery, global exploration and profound questions about humanity’s role in the changing world. In that era, the Jesuit education took shape not merely to transmit the knowledge, but to form leaders like yourself capable of navigating the human complexities with judgement, integrity and purpose.
Today, once again, humanity stands at such a moment. History used to move forward in cycles that took generations. Now it can shift in the time that it takes to refresh your feed, a period of change moving with such a velocity that it outpaces the familiar rhythms. So, what does that mean for you? How does one prepare to succeed in a future that fails to stand still? Here’s the answer: You already have. You went to Marquette.”
Mike Gousha, 2026 graduate Commencement speaker
“Perhaps I am naive, but I remain hopeful that we can find a way to bring civility back to our discourse and heal our nation’s wounded soul. I believe the only tonic for this current toxicity is openness — an openness to new ideas, new perspectives and possibilities, to new personal relationships. We need more civic participation, more social interaction, more human connection.”
Ian Ortega, a biomedical engineering graduate in the Opus College of Engineering and undergraduate student speaker
“Remember the promise that you’ve made today. Today is not just a celebration and graduation. It is the start of a commitment, a decision that the person that you’ve become here at Marquette University is not temporary.”
Victoria Adjetey, a Master of Arts graduate in the Diederich College of Communication and graduate student speaker
“When I arrived here at Marquette, I carried the hopes of my family and community in my suitcase with a single objective: to be that model young woman that younger generations could look up to. Cultural shocks like the hard Wisconsin winter hit me so hard, and there were so many days where I battled with translating my Ghanian identity into an American academic context without losing my unique, authentic self. There were so many days where I felt out of sync, but I pressed on. It was exactly in these moments where I found my ground thanks to the communal spirit here at Marquette.”
Elizabeth Gnau, a graduate in the College of Nursing and Baccalaureate Mass student speaker
“Through that experience, I came to realize that while my GPA and accomplishments are good things, when I placed too much weight on them, they pulled me away from the people I was encountering and the relationships I was building. It was here at Marquette, through those relationships, that I began to learn what it means to love: to be present, to serve, and to recognize the dignity in each person I meet.”
