KINGSTON, R.I. – May 11, 2026 – Up to 40,000 people will converge on the Kingston Campus from Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 17, for three days of at the äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾. Family and friends will mark the achievements of more than 4,000 undergraduate and graduate degree candidates at the Thomas M. Ryan Center on the Kingston Campus.
In addition to celebrating the graduates, the University will confer honorary degrees upon Marc Randolph, co-founder and first CEO of streaming giant Netflix; Daniel L. Harple Jr., chair and CEO of Context Labs; and Katherine Angell Brewster, CEO of the Jonnycake Center for Hope in South Kingstown.
Randolph will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws and serve as keynote speaker during commencement ceremonies for äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBվ’s College of Business on Friday, May 15, at 4 p.m. Gov. Dan McKee is also expected to address College of Business graduates.
Harple will receive an honorary Doctor of Science and offer advice to graduates during commencement ceremonies for the College of Engineering on Saturday, May 16, at 5 p.m. Brewster will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during ceremonies for äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBվ’s Feinstein College of Education on Sunday, May 17, at 1 p.m.
The University will offer live broadcasts of all ceremonies .
Here’s the schedule:
Spring 2026 Commencement schedule
Friday, May 15
11 a.m., College of Health Sciences
4 p.m., College of Business
Saturday, May 16
9 a.m., College of Arts and Sciences
2 p.m., College of Nursing
5 p.m., College of Engineering
Sunday, May 17
9 a.m., College of the Environment and Life Sciences and Graduate School of Oceanography
1 p.m., Feinstein College of Education
4 p.m., College of Pharmacy
Special Instructions for media:
Members of the media who are scheduled to cover the ceremonies should be in touch with Dawn Bergantino at äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ Communications and Marketing, no later than Thursday, May 14, at 11 a.m.
Members of the media are asked to park across the street from the Ryan Center in the Plains Road lot (Lot 25 on the ). Please enter through the Media/Staff Entrance of the Ryan Center on the west side of the building near the soccer field and practice football fields (adjacent to the loading dock).
Upon entry, media will be asked to produce a media credential or a business card and a photo ID. After entering and going through security, media members should report to the Press Conference room (Room 119), where they will be provided with a commencement media pass.
Day of questions can be directed to members of the Department of Communications and Marketing: Dawn Bergantino at 202-270-3211.