AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn will welcome thousands of families and guests to campus the weekend of May 1–4 as the university celebrates the largest graduating class in its history during spring commencement ceremonies in Neville Arena.
Across eight ceremonies, the university will award more than 5,500 degrees, marking a milestone not only for the students crossing the stage but also for the families and mentors who supported them throughout their journeys. The ceremonies will add a new class of graduates to Auburn’s global alumni network of more than 340,000 members.
With thousands of guests expected to travel to Auburn for the celebrations, commencement weekend represents one of the university’s most meaningful traditions and a moment when the Auburn Family gathers to recognize years of dedication, perseverance and achievement.
Commencement weekend begins Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m. with an undergraduate ceremony for the College of Liberal Arts and University College.
Ceremonies continue Saturday, May 2, at 8 a.m. for the Harbert College of Business, 1 p.m. for the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and 6 p.m. for the colleges of Agriculture; Architecture, Design and Construction; Human Sciences; Nursing; and Veterinary Medicine.
On Sunday, May 3, Auburn will host the Graduate School ceremony at 1 p.m., followed by an undergraduate ceremony at 6 p.m. for the colleges of Education; Forestry, Wildlife and Environment; and Sciences and Mathematics.
The weekend concludes Monday, May 4, with professional school ceremonies for the Harrison College of Pharmacy at 1 p.m. and the College of Veterinary Medicine at 6 p.m.
Graduates and their families will also hear from a distinguished group of commencement speakers, including several Auburn alumni and national leaders across business, medicine, science and public service.
Speakers include Michielle Sego-Johnson, ’88, vice president of inflight services and catering operations at United Airlines; Dr. Jason Thompson, ’93, a physician-scientist and cardiologist; Dr. Mark Peters, ’86, president and chief executive officer of MITRE; B. Douglas Hoey, chief executive officer of the National Community Pharmacists Association; and Dr. Janet D. Donlin, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
During the ceremony for the College of Human Sciences, the institution will also confer an honorary degree upon philanthropist and educator Beth Thorne-Stukes in recognition of her lifelong commitment to education, public service and the university.
About Auburn's spring graduates
In total, the university will award 4,342 bachelor’s degrees, 784 master’s and education specialist degrees, and 389 doctoral, pharmacy and veterinary medicine degrees.
Members of the graduating class represent 47 states, including Washington, D.C., three U.S. territories, U.S. military bases in Europe and 40 countries across five continents. The youngest graduate is 19 years old and the oldest is 66. More than 10% of the class are first-generation college students.
Among bachelor’s degree candidates, the Harbert College of Business will graduate the largest cohort with 1,117 students, followed by the College of Liberal Arts with 810 and the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering with 799. Both the Harrison College of Pharmacy and the College of Veterinary Medicine will award 131 professional degrees.
Since Auburn’s founding in 1856, the university has awarded 344,076 degrees, including 279,833 bachelor’s degrees, 64,081 graduate degrees and 162 honorary degrees.
Ceremony information
Tickets are required for graduates and guests to enter Neville Arena for all ceremonies except Monday’s professional ceremonies. Tickets may be printed or downloaded to a mobile device.
Guests without tickets may join the standby line and will be admitted based on available seating. Ceremonies will also be livestreamed, with viewing available in the Village Dining Hall for families and guests who wish to watch remotely.
Guests should enter through the main entrance of Neville Arena, while graduates will enter through the traditional student entrance located beside the main doors. The Scholarship Entrance is reserved for guests requiring accessibility accommodations.
All attendees must follow arena safety guidelines, including the clear bag policy. A parking map and a full list of prohibited items, including non-clear bags, posters, balloons and camera lenses longer than four inches, are available on the Auburn Commencement Office website. Guests may return prohibited items to their vehicles or check them at the entrance for a small fee.
Arena doors open 90 minutes before each ceremony, and graduates should plan to arrive at least an hour before their ceremony. Auburn's commencement ceremonies will be streamed live on the university's website.
For Auburn’s Class of 2026, commencement weekend marks the culmination of years of dedication and perseverance. As they leave the Plains as alumni, they join a global network of Auburn graduates committed to leadership, service and making a meaningful impact in their communities.
For more information, visit auburn.edu/commencement
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