Caps, cords, and celebrations

An inside look at eight graduation ceremonies around campus

By Melina Glusac | Photos by Marc-Gregor Campredon; School of Music, Theatre & Dance; School of Nursing; Michigan Photography | Read time: 8 minutes

Navy blue graduation cap with 2026 and 1M gold charms on tassels.

Maize and blue streamers decorated the Big House sky on Saturday, May 2. It was a chilly morning for Spring Commencement; the sun shone as the Class of 2026 smiled, speaker Jalen Rose (HDHL ʼ26) offered a hopeful glimpse of the future, and the University of Michigan awarded its one millionth degree.

The Big House ceremony is one of numerous graduation ceremonies across campus. Many schools and majors, and various programs and units, honor graduates with distinctive pomp and circumstance—and philanthropy is a common thread (or, in this case, cord) woven throughout it all. Here’s an inside look at eight graduation ceremonies held across U‑M’s Ann Arbor campus this year.

A crowd of students in graduation caps and gowns cheering with yellow and blue streamers in the air, in front of a stage decorated with Block Ms, the numbers 2026,
and the words The Victors. — The graduates celebrate as maize and blue streamers shoot into the sky.

Looking upward, the Class of 2026 moved their tassels to the left and watched the colors of their new alma mater soar across the Big House sky.

“Being able to travel throughout the entire world, there are two words that always connect us: Go Blue!” Jalen Rose (HDHL ʼ26) said in his commencement address. “So congratulations, graduates. The world is your oyster; this is all about you. Success is in front of you, happiness is in front of you, love is in front of you—your goals and dreams will happen. But you have to continue to pursue them and endure.”

Three female students out of focus hold their three graduation caps up to the camera, in focus. The caps have yellow 2026 tassels and blue 1 million tassels. — Three graduates show off their one millionth degree tassels at Spring Commencement.

At the 2026 Spring Commencement ceremony, the University of Michigan awarded its one millionth degree. This historic moment highlighted the university’s growth since 1841, when only six students were enrolled. Today, combined enrollment across Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses is nearly 70,000, with students from around the world pursuing a wide range of degrees—and on a brisk Saturday at the Big House, more than 9,000 of those students turned into graduates.

Jalen Rose speaks behind a podium, under a large Block M, at the Big House. — Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient Jalen Rose offers inspiring words to the Class of 2026.

Alumnus, donor, and basketball legend Jalen Rose spoke to graduates at the Big House about integrity and Michigan pride. Back in 2003, a generous gift from the Jalen Rose Foundation established the Jalen Rose Endowed Scholarship Fund at U-M, which fully supports an incoming first-year student. Rose has also given back to his hometown of Detroit, opening the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy and co-founding Same Page Entertainment, a Detroit-based media production firm.

“My hometown and this university have shaped all 360 degrees of me,” Rose said in his commencement address. “My labor of love is to continue to give back.”

Lleyton Allen singing on stage at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance commencement ceremony at Hill Auditorium. — Lleyton Allen performs at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance ceremony. Copyright: School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Marketing & Communications, Robert Coelius.

Music reverberated in Hill Auditorium at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance commencement ceremony. Graduate Lleyton Allen (BFA.Mus.Tht. ʼ26), one of the award-winners honored at the event, performed “Out There” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Throughout his time at Michigan, Allen supplemented his musical education with support from the Donald R. Shepherd Scholarship.

Graduates in caps and gowns entering the Power Center auditorium, led by a faculty member carrying a staff. — The start of the Procession—a tradition that kicks off Black Celebratory, during which graduates enter the ceremony dancing.

At the Power Center for Performing Arts, the Black Celebratory ceremony honored African American experiences and commemorated the accomplishments of students, faculty, and staff. Established in 1994, this event is organized by the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives, in partnership with the Black Celebratory Student Planning Committee. Support from donors helps foster OAMI’s mission, aiding students in their academic journeys and creating inclusive spaces across campus.

A group of nursing graduates in caps, gowns, and tassels posing in a line together at Hill Auditorium, smiling at the camera. — A group of School of Nursing graduates smile after the ceremony. Copyright: All rights reserved by U-M School of Nursing.

The School of Nursing elevated the next generation of medical professionals at its Hill Auditorium ceremony. From Michigan Medicine to health tech entrepreneurship, commencement speaker Julie Wilner’s (BSN ʼ05) vast experience was shared with graduates. Wilner continues to give back to U-M, advising the School of Nursing on fundraising opportunities and strategies aimed at extending the reach of the nursing profession.

A view of the audience from the back of the Rogel Ballroom at Lavender Graduation. The room is decorated with a rainbow balloon arch by the speaker’s podium and a lavender photo backdrop in the corner. — The audience at Lavender Graduation listens to keynote speaker Dr. Sari Reisner, associate professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health. Photo by Michigan Photography.

Under the colorful cornices of the Michigan Union’s Rogel Ballroom, the 32nd annual Lavender Graduation celebrated LGBTQIA2S+ graduates and allies. This ceremony, established by Ronni Sanlo in 1995, was the first of its kind and has since inspired similar events at over 500 other schools. Lavender Graduation is organized by U-M’s Spectrum Center, which is propelled by donor-funded scholarships and gifts, like the historic Howard Bragman Coming Out Fund.

A close-up of a student-athlete graduate’s hands holding her golden compass, which is engraved with a Block M and placed in a wooden box. The graduate is wearing two large athletic rings on her left hand. — Student-athlete graduates received a golden compass set to the latitude and longitude of Ann Arbor.

At the Crisler Center, the Student-Athlete Ceremony celebrated students’ academic and athletic careers. Graduates were announced individually and walked across the stage to receive a special keepsake: an engraved, golden compass set to the latitude and longitude degrees of Ann Arbor. Many student-athletes receive donor-supported scholarships and aid during their time at Michigan, which helps them pursue their dreams without financial stress. On Giving Blueday 2026, online donors gave more than $48,000 to Michigan Athletics, directly supporting students on and off the field.

A student out of focus holds up a Student Philanthropy graduation cord to the camera, in focus. Attached to the cord is a thank you note, with large text at the top
that reads Give and Go Blue. — A graduate picks up the new Student Philanthropy cord, along with a “thank you” from the Student Philanthropy team.

In the lobby of the Michigan Union, students picked up the first-ever Student Philanthropy cords. The U-M Student Philanthropy team helps advise student organizations across campus, informing and empowering Wolverines as both donors and fundraisers. Graduating students who made a one-time gift of $20.26 to the university received this exclusive cord in recognition of their support.

A graduate and her daughter sit at a table stacked with markers and books at the CEW+ Graduation Celebration. The graduate’s daughter is holding a marker and both are looking at a piece of paper. — A CEW+ graduate and her daughter take a quick break from graduation festivities to color.

The Center for the Education of Women+ held its Graduation Celebration at the Ann Arbor City Club. Graduating students connected to the center through its many donor-funded scholarships and fellowships were honored, and all were presented with a custom CEW+ stole. Recognizing that many of its students are mothers or parents, the CEW+ created an atmosphere conducive to families, with kid-friendly activities like coloring and reading.

Four School of Public Health graduates stand in a line holding their graduation caps, wearing yellow SPH stoles, and smiling at the camera outside Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor. — School of Public Health graduates don SPH stoles and celebrate outside Hill Auditorium. Photo by Peter Smith.

School of Public Health graduates rejoiced and prepared to step out of Hill Auditorium and into the global health arena. Student speaker Farhia Ahmed Mohamed’s (MPH ʼ26) research spans health equity, nutritional sciences, and AI—and, like many graduates, was nurtured by the support she received from donor-funded scholarships at Michigan: the Maxine Moore Forsyth Scholarship in Human Nutrition, the Gelman Global Scholarship Fund, and the Margaret Towsley Scholarship.

U-M students Gabriella Noble and Michael Reifman stand next to President Domenico Grasso. Noble and President Grasso hold open the 2025–2026 Michiganensian Yearbook, and all three are looking at it, smiling. — Gabriella Noble, Michael Reifman, and President Domenico Grasso smile as they flip through this academic year’s Michiganensian Yearbook.

As graduates turned the page to their next chapter, a new tradition was born: Two members of the Michiganensian Yearbook staff, Gabriella Noble (LSA Class of 2027) and Michael Reifman (LSA Class of 2027), hand-delivered the 2025–2026 yearbook to the president’s residence. The book found its forever home in the library, where President Domenico Grasso, Noble, and Reifman placed it next to yearbooks dating as far back as the 1800s—a powerful, visual reminder of Michigan memories past and yet to come.

Want to see more great photos like this throughout the year?
Follow Leaders & Best on social media!