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. Videos of the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies are available on the Commencement website.
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.”
“As a Catholic, Jesuit university, Marquette has a duty to teach you how to think, not what to think. We have sought to form you as a critical thinker who uses rigorous inquiry and ethical discernment to challenge assumptions in a learning environment where you can engage in dialogue and debate that allows you to question yourself, but also to question the world around you. No matter how you were transformed, I pray you use what you have gained in your time at Marquette to live up to the promise to be men and women for and with others and to understand that we are called to be in service to the world.”
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.”
“Marquette does not just educate students. It forms leaders. This is the enduring promise of the Jesuit education you have received. To form a whole person, for a purpose larger than oneself. It teaches us to be the difference, to lead with conviction that does not simply keep pace with a world at motion, but directs that momentum to serve the common good. It is the calling more enduring than any measurable success because it is rooted in immesurable meaning. Class of 2026, Marquette has given this gift to 144 graduating classes before you, and I believe it will burn brighter in your hands than any other generation before you.”
“The world needs leaders like yourselves. Ethical. Principled. Human. Leaders who understand not only the moral gravity of that responsibility, but also the honor of carrying it.”
The full speech can be viewed here.
Mike Gousha, 2026 graduate Commencement speaker
“In recent years, I’ve been reflecting more on conversations and what I’ve learned from all the people I’ve been fortunate enough to meet along the way. I’ve concluded that we share far more in common than we think or are told. That our life experiences connect us in a much deeper way than how we identify politically. That our differences are greatly exaggerated by those who want to exploit them for personal or political gain, or, perversely, for profit.
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.”
“As you begin the next chapter of your lives, I know you’ll be focused on your careers, and understandably so. But let me also encourage you to find time to be a fully engaged citizen. It goes beyond voting in every election, which, of course, you all certainly should do. But I’m talking more about being actively involved in our civil society — doing charitable work, joining community, school or faith groups, helping organizations that make a positive difference in our world. Besides the civic good they provide, studies show these kinds of social interactions make us happier. They’re good for our mental health. There an antidote for the deviseness and harshness of today’s media and social media world and they help us build community.”
The full speech can be viewed here.
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.”
