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Streamer cannons fired across Moretz Stadium in a burst of red and black as ������Ƶ’s Class of 2026 moved their tassels from right to left Friday evening, making the culmination of years of perseverance, growth and achievement.

Across ceremonies held in Hickory, Asheville and Columbia on May 7-9, ������Ƶ celebrated 578 undergraduate and graduate students earning their degrees and stepping into their next chapters as alumni.

The ceremonies also marked a milestone for University President Summer McGee, Ph.D., who presided over her first commencement at ������Ƶ and reflected on the significance of the occasion for graduates, their families and the entire university community.

“Today is one of the most meaningful days in the life of a university and of course in the lives of our graduates. It is a day of celebration, gratitude, reflection and hope,” she said. “It is a day when years of hard work, sacrifice, late nights, early mornings, persistence and faith come together in one extraordinary moment.”

McGee thanked faculty for their teaching and mentorship, staff for their behind-the-scenes support and the Commencement Planning Committee for coordinating months of preparation across campus. She also recognized the music department for contributing to the ceremony’s atmosphere and welcomed members of the Board of Trustees in attendance.

She also emphasized commencement marks not only achievement, but responsibility for what comes next.

“You leave here today not only with a degree but with a responsibility: to carry your light into the world. To lead with integrity. To serve with compassion. To think with curiosity. To achieve excellence. To build communities of connection and care,” she said.

Before introducing additional speakers and conferring degrees, McGee recognized Bear Bucket List graduates, legacy graduates and Bears Squared — those earning multiple degrees from ������Ƶ. She went on to acknowledge several graduates whose accomplishments reflect the academic excellence of the Class of 2026.

Felicia Jackson, a Master of Arts in Teaching graduate and NSF Noyce STEM Teacher Scholarship recipient, was recognized for her work as a science teacher at Seventy First High School in Fayetteville, as well as earning a perfect score on the Praxis II Subject Matter Test.

Jonathan Lakeman, who graduated with degrees in religious studies and philosophy, will continue his studies at Duke Divinity School, where he will pursue a Master of Divinity.

Marta Escudero Cano, who graduated cum laude with a degree in biochemistry, has been accepted into Wake Forest University’s Master’s in Biomedical Research program.

Avelyn Paulino, who graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in human resources management and a concentration in business management, will begin her career at CommScope following her leadership role as executive vice president of the Student Government Association.

McGee also noted that 100 percent of 2026 Bachelor of Science in nursing graduates had secured job offers or employment at institutions prior to graduation. Those institutions included Vanderbilt University Medical Center, CaroMont Health and Catawba Valley Medical Center, among others.

She concluded by inviting all graduates to embrace the moment fully while encouraging joy, connection and celebration across the stadium.

Student Speaker: Tanli Carlton

Student Government Association President and nursing graduate Tanli Carlton reflected on perseverance, faith and community support during her remarks, including her recovery from an ACL injury during her final year at ������Ƶ. Carlton became visibly emotional while speaking about the classmates, friends and family members who supported her through difficult moments, drawing loud applause and cheers from fellow students across the stadium. Her experience was one among hundreds of stories in the Class of 2026.

“It reminded me that community is one of God’s greatest gifts. Tonight I also want to acknowledge something important: none of us got here alone,” Carlton said. “Behind every cap and gown is a story people may never fully know — a story of sacrifice, struggle and people who believed in us before we fully believed in ourselves.”

She closed by urging graduates to remain connected to one another and to the people who have shaped their journeys as they move forward into the next chapter of their lives. 

“Don’t be a stranger to the people who helped shape you. Don’t be a stranger to your purpose, and don’t be a stranger to yourself,” she said. “Stay connected, keep loving people, keep showing up and keep answering the call God has on your life. Be the kind of person who is remembered for the way they showed up for others.”

Student Speaker: Khouri Christian

Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate Khouri Christian reflected on returning to higher education later in life, describing a nonlinear journey shaped by personal and professional challenges.

She recalled initial feelings of uncertainty,  and how persistence carried her forward through demanding academic work and family responsibilities.

“The road to this moment has looked different for all of us. For some, it may have felt smooth and straightforward,” she said. “For many others, it has been filled with potholes, rumble strips and moments where it felt like the road itself disappeared beneath you. And yet, here we are.”

Christian encouraged graduates to embrace uncertainty rather than avoid it, reframing readiness as something created through action rather than waiting.

“Take the chances anyway. Apply for the job. Go back to school. Start over if you need to. Do the thing that feels just a little bigger than what you think you’re capable of,” she said.

She reminded graduates that their “dash” — the span between life’s beginning and end — is still being written, and urged them to make it meaningful through courage, risk and persistence.

Commencement Speaker: Perry Fewell

������Ƶ alumnus Perry Fewell, a 1985 graduate who went on to a distinguished NFL coaching career, returned to campus as commencement speaker. He credited his success to mentors, teammates and the foundation he built at ������Ƶ.

“I may not be standing here because of Latin honors, but I am standing here because of mentors who believed in me, teammates who supported me and a university that prepared me for opportunity when it appeared,” he began.

Fewell emphasized the importance of discipline and consistency in building a career.

“A successful career is built by banking small wins, not giant leaps or overnight success. It is the accumulation of steady, intentional progress — learning from each opportunity, showing up consistently and doing the next right thing even when no one is watching,” he said. “Over time, those small wins begin to stack together, and they become the foundation of something much bigger than any single moment.”

He added that success requires both belief and action working together.

“Belief without action is just a wish, something we hope for but never pursue. Action without belief, on the other hand, rarely lasts — because when challenges come, there is nothing to hold it together,” he said. “Real success happens when belief and action work together: when you trust that something is possible, and then you commit yourself fully to doing the work to make it real.”

Fewell later connected those lessons to the New York Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI championship season, recalling how the team embraced the phrase “All In” as a rallying cry during its playoff run. He also reflected on how his experience at ������Ƶ prepared him for life beyond campus, from academic work to athletics to early professional opportunities. He closed by encouraging graduates to bring the same commitment into their futures that they brought into their time at ������Ƶ.

“This university has already prepared you for more than you realize. That walk across campus to class on a cold January morning, when skipping class would have been easier, prepared you for the tough commutes and challenging days life will throw your way,” he said.

Conferral of Degrees

Following the remarks, faculty and administrators began the formal conferral of 191 graduate and 312 undergraduate degrees for the Hickory campus. Students were hooded, recognized and awarded diplomas as families and friends looked on from the stands.

Closing Celebration

As the ceremony concluded, McGee congratulated graduates once more and invited them to celebrate fully as they moved from students to alumni with the university’s unofficial slogan: “Once a Bear, always a Bear.”

After the formal ceremony, graduates and their guests continued the festivities in Shuford Arena, where the university hosted a gathering honoring the Class of 2026 as members of the newest generation of ������Ƶ alumni.