June 2026

From Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 24, The University of Scranton welcomed thousands of guests who arrived with the shared motive of celebrating Scranton's newest graduates.

Karen L. Pennington, Ph.D. '76, G'83, H'15, was among commencement's most active participants. Dr. Pennington, a longtime higher education administrator, was in town to celebrate her 50-year class reunion and to also serve as the principal speaker who imparted wisdom upon the 900-plus undergraduate and 450-plus graduate members of the Class of 2026.

"Some of us old-timers are back here today because there's something about this University that not only lives in your memory, but that gets in your bones and never goes away," Dr. Pennington said at the undergraduate commencement ceremony. "It's not just the cura personalis that was part of your Ignatian experience; it's the community of which you have been and will always be a part. There are faculty members whose words will come to you at the strangest times. There are lessons you learned that you won't even realize you learned until you need them. And those people sitting beside you, those classmates who were there — they're so much a part of your Scranton days and will continue to be so important to you at your best and your worst times."

In case you missed it, here are a few stories covering one of the best times of year at The University of Scranton:

Scranton Holds 2026 Undergraduate Commencement (Full Story + Photos)

Curious about this year's most common majors? The most populous states? The distinguished individuals who received honorary degrees?

We've got you covered. Click here to read more about the undergraduate commencement ceremony. Follow this link to watch it.

Graduate Commencement Held at Mohegan Arena (Full Story + Photos)

For master's and doctoral graduates at The University of Scranton, commencement offered an opportunity for class speaker Harshil Nariya G'26, of Enola, to reflect on the empathy, resilience and sense of responsibility he and his classmates developed at Scranton.

Click here to read the full story from graduate commencement. An archived video recording is available at this link.

Class of 2026 Selects Teachers of the Year

The University’s graduating senior Class of 2026 awarded this year’s Teacher of the Year to Sinchul Back, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the cybercrime and homeland security program; and Andrew Venezia, Ph.D., associate professor of health and human performance.

Click here to read more about the faculty members and their meaningful award.

Outstanding Graduates Recognized at Class Night

The University of Scranton honored 65 members of its undergraduate Class of 2026 for academic excellence, leadership and service at a Class Night ceremony.

Click here for a list of all the award winners and their awards.

Top Master's, Doctoral Graduates Awarded

The Scranton Brass Orchestra will perform a “pops” concert on Sunday, June 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center at The University of Scranton. Admission is free. The performance is open to the public with doors opening at 6:50 p.m. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

The program for the concert features compositions, arrangements and transcriptions for brass band/brass orchestra, including pops hits, Disney favorites and music for film. The evening’s fare will include Malcolm Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances, Turrin’s Overture for Brass, a number of Disney favorites, the theme from Bridge Over The River Kwai and more.

The Scranton Brass Orchestra is under the direction of Cheryl Y. Boga and is presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton. Co-founded by Dr. Hal Baillie and Mark Gould, the fully professional 26-member ensemble comprised of brass and percussion players/teachers from the region ensemble is entering its 14th season. The group's performances are free of charge, open to the public and have often featured nationally and internationally acclaimed guests, including many of the most respected brass players of our time. The group made its debut before hundreds of appreciative audience members in June 2011 and has since garnered acclaim from both audiences and musicians alike.

For additional information, visit scranton.edu/music or email music@scranton.edu.