Commencement Ceremony
We will host our 2026 Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 1, 2026. The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. and will take place at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum, 4141 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
Event Details
Students are required to RSVP for the ceremony for themselves by completing the online form which will be emailed to them. Additional details including a detailed timeline will be released in the coming months. We do not require tickets for this event. Guest seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Paid parking is available in the Soldiers and Sailors parking garage.
Guests with physical disabilities can enter the building via the ramp and accessible entrance located on the University Place side of the building (west side, or left side if looking from 5th Avenue). Restrooms for visitors with physical disabilities are located on the third level, accessible via two elevators.
Student Speaker at Commencement- Apply Now!
As part of our May 2026 Commencement Ceremony, we’re inviting applications for our Student Speaker during the event. In addition to our Commencement Speaker, the Student Speaker will give a student message as part of our ceremony on Friday, May 1, 2026.
Interested graduating students can apply by submitting their written speech and resume/CV by noon on Friday, March 20, 2026 via email to Dominic Bussard, Communications and Events Coordinator (dominic.bussard@pitt.edu). Speeches should be no more than three minutes in length, and all applicants will be required to meet in person to share their speech with the selection committee during the week of March 30th or the week of April 6th. Available time slots for both weeks will be provided to students after the application window closes.
Applications are not considered complete without both the written speech and resume/CV. There will be no exceptions made for applications submitted late, so interested students are encouraged to be timely in their submissions. The selection committee will announce the results by Friday, April 10.
Livestream
The ceremony will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. The recording will also be available on SPIA's YouTube channel following the live event.
Academic Regalia
All participating students are required to purchase and wear regalia. The only exception is for graduates in military uniform. Please note, graduates will enter & exit the stage by way of five stairs. Plan footwear accordingly. Regalia can be purchased through the University bookstore here.
Additional Resources and Events
Graduating students can visit the main Pitt events website at www.commencement.pitt.edu for more University-wide commencement resources. Check back for relevant information as it is updated. Please tag us in your shares #SPIA or @pitt_spia - we want to celebrate with you!