{"id":110320,"date":"2026-05-09T15:29:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T19:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/?p=110320"},"modified":"2026-05-09T15:38:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T19:38:31","slug":"a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/09\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\/","title":{"rendered":"A Degree of Excellence: UMW Celebrates 2026 Commencement"},"content":{"rendered":"<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><section class=\"wp-block-umw-hero alignfull umw-custom-block umw-hero umw-hero--dark-text umw-hero--media-float-right umw-hero--white umw-hero--with-no-media umw-hero--with-no-content\"><div class=\"umw-hero__inner\"><div class=\"umw-hero__media\"><\/div><div class=\"umw-hero__title\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"umw-hero__title__wrapper\"><h1 class=\"umw-hero__title__header\">News<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><h2 class=\"alignwide wp-block-post-title\">A Degree of Excellence: UMW Celebrates 2026 Commencement<\/h2><div class=\"wp-block-group umw-news-author-credit is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-05-09T15:29:23-04:00\">May 9, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n\n\n<p>by<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\">Lisa Chinn Marvashti<\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"700\" data-attachment-id=\"110323\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_photo_moment\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1751\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474018\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"198\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0008\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-300x205.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-1024x700.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-1024x700.jpg\" alt=\"Two people dressed in graduation garb take a selfie\" class=\"wp-image-110323\" style=\"width:300px\" srcset=\"\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-1024x700.jpg 1024w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-300x205.jpg 300w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-768x525.jpg 768w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-1536x1051.jpg 1536w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-2048x1401.jpg 2048w, \/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_photo_moment-1131x772.jpg 1131w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><p>With their Mary Wash blue regalia, caps decked out just for the day and smiles shared with family and friends, nearly 1,000 graduates traversed Campus Walk this morning for the University of Mary Washington&rsquo;s 115th Commencement.<\/p><p>Followed by the faculty who&rsquo;d guided them through the past four years, the Board of Visitors, President Troy D. Paino and the Eagle Pipe Band, the members of the Class of 2026 made their way to Ball Circle, where the three-hour ceremony unfolded. The chilly air warmed throughout the morning as family, friends and supporters cheered for the graduates&rsquo; hard work, perseverance and commitment to earning a degree with the power to enlighten their careers and their lives.<\/p><p>&ldquo;The classes weren&rsquo;t easy; it was challenging,&rdquo; said Aidan Ramirez, an economics major from Stafford, Virginia, who chose Mary Washington for its small class sizes and opportunities to receive individual attention from professors.<\/p><section class=\"image-gallery layout__block\">\n\t<div class=\"image-gallery__inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main__track\" js-slideshow-track=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110343\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads014\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads014-scaled-e1778353659707.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,1390\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473610\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"77\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0015625\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Joseph Bevan and Yann Aubert&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads014-scaled-e1778353659707-300x244.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads014-scaled-e1778353659707-1024x834.jpg\" data-id=\"110343\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads014-scaled-e1778353659707-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"Two guys stand beside each other wearing graduation garb\" class=\"wp-image-110343\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110342\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads012\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads012-scaled-e1778353714887.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,1390\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"4\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474332\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"80\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0005\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Ryder Ward&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads012-scaled-e1778353714887-300x244.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads012-scaled-e1778353714887-1024x834.jpg\" data-id=\"110342\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads012-scaled-e1778353714887-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A graduate wearing colorful stoles\" class=\"wp-image-110342\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110341\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads008\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads008-scaled-e1778354082473.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,1297\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"4.5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473859\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"108\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.00125\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Aidan  Ramirez&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads008-scaled-e1778354082473-300x228.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads008-scaled-e1778354082473-1024x778.jpg\" data-id=\"110341\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads008-scaled-e1778354082473-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A graduate wearing blue and gold\" class=\"wp-image-110341\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110340\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads005\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads005-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"4.5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473658\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"85\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0002\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Payton Jones&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads005-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads005-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads005-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A graduate smiles for the camera\" class=\"wp-image-110340\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--previous\" aria-label=\"Previous\" js-prev>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M18.5 12H6M6 12L12 6M6 12L12 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--next\" aria-label=\"Next\" js-next>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M6 12H18.5M18.5 12L12.5 6M18.5 12L12.5 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails\" js-thumbnails-container=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails__track\" js-thumbnail-track>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 0 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110343\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads014\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads014-scaled-e1778353659707.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,1390\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473610\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"77\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0015625\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Joseph Bevan and Yann Aubert&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads014-scaled-e1778353659707-300x244.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads014-scaled-e1778353659707-1024x834.jpg\" data-id=\"110343\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads014-scaled-e1778353659707-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"Two guys stand beside each other wearing graduation garb\" class=\"wp-image-110343\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 1 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110342\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads012\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads012-scaled-e1778353714887.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,1390\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"4\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474332\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"80\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0005\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Ryder Ward&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads012-scaled-e1778353714887-300x244.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads012-scaled-e1778353714887-1024x834.jpg\" data-id=\"110342\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads012-scaled-e1778353714887-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A graduate wearing colorful stoles\" class=\"wp-image-110342\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 2 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110341\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads008\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads008-scaled-e1778354082473.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,1297\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"4.5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473859\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"108\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.00125\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Aidan  Ramirez&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads008-scaled-e1778354082473-300x228.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads008-scaled-e1778354082473-1024x778.jpg\" data-id=\"110341\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads008-scaled-e1778354082473-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A graduate wearing blue and gold\" class=\"wp-image-110341\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 3 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110340\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads005\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads005-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"4.5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473658\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"85\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0002\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Payton Jones&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads005-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads005-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads005-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A graduate smiles for the camera\" class=\"wp-image-110340\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description-container\" js-description-container>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joseph Bevan and Yann Aubert<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ryder Ward<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aidan  Ramirez<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Payton Jones<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section><p>Ryder Ward felt the warmth right away when someone from UMW Admissions remembered an essay she&rsquo;d submitted with her application. That, she said, made her feel seen. A communication and digital studies major from Ashburn, Virginia, Ward plans to apply to grad school and possibly become a professor. &ldquo;I loved Mary Washington when I toured it,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I feel like I&rsquo;ve made so many friends.&rdquo;<\/p><p>Psychology major Payton Jones of Roanoke, Virginia, shared a similar sentiment, saying she&rsquo;d bonded not just with students but also faculty members. &ldquo;I definitely think grateful is the word for it,&rdquo; she said, adding that UMW&rsquo;s location three hours from home wasn&rsquo;t too far away.<\/p><p>Not so for marketing major Joseph Bevan, who came from the United Kingdom to play rugby at Mary Washington. Even 4,000 miles away, though, he said, he found a community feel. &ldquo;I fell in love with the place; it was just the right fit,&rdquo; Bevan said, wrapping an arm around teammate Yann Aubert, a business administration major who hails from France.<\/p><section class=\"image-gallery layout__block\">\n\t<div class=\"image-gallery__inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main__track\" js-slideshow-track=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110324\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_processional_sammy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional_Sammy-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474224\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.00025\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional_Sammy-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional_Sammy-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110324\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional_Sammy-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A student dressed in graduation garb carries big bird feet designed for a team mascot\" class=\"wp-image-110324\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110325\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_processional\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473841\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0004\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110325\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"Students dressed in graduation garb process toward the ceremony\" class=\"wp-image-110325\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110326\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgradsprocessional\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsprocessional-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473912\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"126\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0008\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsprocessional-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsprocessional-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsprocessional-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"People dressed in graduation garb prepare to give each other a high-five\" class=\"wp-image-110326\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110322\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umw_processional2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMW_processional2-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474058\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"200\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.001\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMW_processional2-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMW_processional2-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110322\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMW_processional2-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"Several people dressed in graduation garb, with two women in the center hugging\" class=\"wp-image-110322\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--previous\" aria-label=\"Previous\" js-prev>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M18.5 12H6M6 12L12 6M6 12L12 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--next\" aria-label=\"Next\" js-next>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M6 12H18.5M18.5 12L12.5 6M18.5 12L12.5 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails\" js-thumbnails-container=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails__track\" js-thumbnail-track>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 0 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110324\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_processional_sammy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional_Sammy-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474224\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.00025\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional_Sammy-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional_Sammy-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110324\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional_Sammy-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A student dressed in graduation garb carries big bird feet designed for a team mascot\" class=\"wp-image-110324\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 1 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110325\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_processional\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473841\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0004\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110325\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_processional-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"Students dressed in graduation garb process toward the ceremony\" class=\"wp-image-110325\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 2 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110326\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgradsprocessional\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsprocessional-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473912\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"126\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0008\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsprocessional-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsprocessional-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsprocessional-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"People dressed in graduation garb prepare to give each other a high-five\" class=\"wp-image-110326\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 3 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110322\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umw_processional2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMW_processional2-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474058\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"200\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.001\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMW_processional2-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMW_processional2-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110322\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMW_processional2-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"Several people dressed in graduation garb, with two women in the center hugging\" class=\"wp-image-110322\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description-container\" js-description-container>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The newest graduates process to UMW&rsquo;s Commencement with handshakes, hugs and high fives from Mary Washington faculty. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section><p>UMW awarded 490 Bachelor of Science degrees, 305 Bachelor of Arts degrees, 48 Bachelor of Liberal Studies degrees, 40 Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees and 37 Bachelor of Science in Education degrees. It also awarded four Master of Geospatial Analysis degrees, 42 Master of Business Administration degrees and 27 Master of Education degrees.<\/p><p>Among the graduates were 17 members of the original cohort of the Impact Program, an experiential learning program for first-year students focused on service and community engagement.&nbsp;Two students graduated with Eagle talon feet as they crossed the stage, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iqNVkZXw2l0&amp;list=PLZfjMaRP_C8FGtR_I58FqgN5Uj3XiXVbG&amp;index=1\">revealing their work as Sammy D. Eagle, the mascot<\/a>. Numerous students earned University Honors, department honors or graduated with distinction. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/09\/top-of-the-class-for-2026-umw-darden-award-honorees\/\">Eight were recognized with the Colgate W. Darden Jr. Award<\/a> for the highest cumulative grade-point average. &nbsp;<\/p><section class=\"image-gallery layout__block\">\n\t<div class=\"image-gallery__inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main__track\" js-slideshow-track=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110317\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/09\/top-of-the-class-for-2026-umw-darden-award-honorees\/2026umwgrads044\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads044-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474268\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0003125\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Eight students received the Colgate W. Darden Award for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads044-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads044-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110317\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads044-1131x772.jpg\" alt='Several people stand in a row looking at the camera and dressed in graduation garb with the number \"2026\" in front of them' class=\"wp-image-110317\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110332\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_impact_program\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_impact_program-scaled-e1778354476732.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,1643\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"14\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473666\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"72\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.008\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW celebrates the first graduates in 2026 from the Impact Program for community engagement. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_impact_program-scaled-e1778354476732-300x289.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_impact_program-scaled-e1778354476732-1024x986.jpg\" data-id=\"110332\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_impact_program-scaled-e1778354476732-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A group of students and faculty, mostly dressed in graduation garbs, stand on the steps of a brick building\" class=\"wp-image-110332\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--previous\" aria-label=\"Previous\" js-prev>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M18.5 12H6M6 12L12 6M6 12L12 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--next\" aria-label=\"Next\" js-next>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M6 12H18.5M18.5 12L12.5 6M18.5 12L12.5 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails\" js-thumbnails-container=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails__track\" js-thumbnail-track>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 0 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110317\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/09\/top-of-the-class-for-2026-umw-darden-award-honorees\/2026umwgrads044\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads044-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474268\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0003125\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Eight students received the Colgate W. Darden Award for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads044-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads044-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110317\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads044-224x116.jpg\" alt='Several people stand in a row looking at the camera and dressed in graduation garb with the number \"2026\" in front of them' class=\"wp-image-110317\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 1 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110332\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_impact_program\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_impact_program-scaled-e1778354476732.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,1643\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"14\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473666\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"72\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.008\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW celebrates the first graduates in 2026 from the Impact Program for community engagement. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_impact_program-scaled-e1778354476732-300x289.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_impact_program-scaled-e1778354476732-1024x986.jpg\" data-id=\"110332\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_impact_program-scaled-e1778354476732-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A group of students and faculty, mostly dressed in graduation garbs, stand on the steps of a brick building\" class=\"wp-image-110332\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description-container\" js-description-container>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eight students received the Colgate W. Darden Award for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">UMW celebrates the first graduates in 2026 from the Impact Program for community engagement. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section><p>&ldquo;You are surrounded today by people who are so proud of you,&rdquo; University of Mary Washington President Troy Paino told the soon-to-be grads.<\/p><p>Much work during their time in college went into preparing them for a successful career in a 21st-century economy, he said. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s also important that you succeed in life, can engage across&nbsp;difference and have the wherewithal to contribute to the communities we share. In other words, our purpose is not just about individual&nbsp;pursuits,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s about our collective pursuit as a&nbsp;nation.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s about preparing the next generation of citizen-leaders.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p><p>America is a &ldquo;250-year-old radical experiment&rdquo; founded on freedom, tolerance and minority rights to ensure everyone follows the same rules and enjoys the same basic rights, Paino told the crowd, citing ethics instilled in students through UMW&rsquo;s Honor Code and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/about\/our-principles-and-values\/\">ASPIRE community values<\/a>. &ldquo;Your Mary Washington education is about keeping this experiment alive.&rdquo;<\/p><p>From the singing of the National Anthem to the symbolic turning of tassels, the ceremony was filled with plenty of pomp and circumstance, with the grand marshal carrying the official academic mace, the rich sound of bagpipes and a rendition of the Alma Mater. A dynamic display of streamers and confetti rounded out the event, sending a congratulatory message into the air.<\/p><section class=\"image-gallery layout__block\">\n\t<div class=\"image-gallery__inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main__track\" js-slideshow-track=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110327\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_bagpip_band\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_bagpip_band-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"4.5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473612\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"126\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.00025\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The Eagle Bagpipe Band adds the pomp and circumstance to the UMW Commencement. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_bagpip_band-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_bagpip_band-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110327\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_bagpip_band-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"People dressed in kilts and playing bagpipes at a college graduation\" class=\"wp-image-110327\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110335\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgradssga-president-and-president-paino\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsSGA-President-and-President-Paino-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474238\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"114\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0004\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW President Paino and SGA President Amira Said &rsquo;26 start the awarding of degrees at the 2026 ceremony. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsSGA-President-and-President-Paino-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsSGA-President-and-President-Paino-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110335\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsSGA-President-and-President-Paino-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A man and a woman dressed in graduate garb shake hands onstage\" class=\"wp-image-110335\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110329\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_commencement_speaker\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_commencement_speaker-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473630\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"200\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0003125\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW alumnus and business executive Lou Marmo &rsquo;94 delivers the commencement address. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_commencement_speaker-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_commencement_speaker-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_commencement_speaker-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A man dressed in graduation garb stands behind a podium\" class=\"wp-image-110329\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110330\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/lee-murray-rector-of-the-umw-board-of-visitors\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_BOVspeaker-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"Lee Murray, Rector of the UMW Board of Visitors.\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473636\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"200\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0003125\",\"title\":\"Lee Murray, Rector of the UMW Board of Visitors.\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW Board of Visitors Rector Lee Murray &rsquo;04 bring greetings to the Class of 2026. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_BOVspeaker-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_BOVspeaker-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110330\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_BOVspeaker-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A man dressed in graduation garb stands behind a podium with the ceremonial mace in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-110330\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--previous\" aria-label=\"Previous\" js-prev>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M18.5 12H6M6 12L12 6M6 12L12 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--next\" aria-label=\"Next\" js-next>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M6 12H18.5M18.5 12L12.5 6M18.5 12L12.5 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails\" js-thumbnails-container=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails__track\" js-thumbnail-track>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 0 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110327\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_bagpip_band\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_bagpip_band-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"4.5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473612\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"126\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.00025\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The Eagle Bagpipe Band adds the pomp and circumstance to the UMW Commencement. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_bagpip_band-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_bagpip_band-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110327\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_bagpip_band-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"People dressed in kilts and playing bagpipes at a college graduation\" class=\"wp-image-110327\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 1 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110335\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgradssga-president-and-president-paino\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsSGA-President-and-President-Paino-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474238\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"114\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0004\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW President Paino and SGA President Amira Said &rsquo;26 start the awarding of degrees at the 2026 ceremony. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsSGA-President-and-President-Paino-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsSGA-President-and-President-Paino-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110335\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgradsSGA-President-and-President-Paino-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A man and a woman dressed in graduate garb shake hands onstage\" class=\"wp-image-110335\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 2 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110329\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_commencement_speaker\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_commencement_speaker-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473630\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"200\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0003125\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW alumnus and business executive Lou Marmo &rsquo;94 delivers the commencement address. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_commencement_speaker-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_commencement_speaker-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_commencement_speaker-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A man dressed in graduation garb stands behind a podium\" class=\"wp-image-110329\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 3 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110330\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/lee-murray-rector-of-the-umw-board-of-visitors\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_BOVspeaker-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"Lee Murray, Rector of the UMW Board of Visitors.\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473636\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"200\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0003125\",\"title\":\"Lee Murray, Rector of the UMW Board of Visitors.\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW Board of Visitors Rector Lee Murray &rsquo;04 bring greetings to the Class of 2026. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_BOVspeaker-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_BOVspeaker-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110330\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_BOVspeaker-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A man dressed in graduation garb stands behind a podium with the ceremonial mace in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-110330\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description-container\" js-description-container>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Eagle Bagpipe Band adds the pomp and circumstance to the UMW Commencement. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">UMW President Paino and SGA President Amira Said &rsquo;26 start the awarding of degrees at the 2026 ceremony. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">UMW alumnus and business executive Lou Marmo &rsquo;94 delivers the commencement address. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">UMW Board of Visitors Rector Lee Murray &rsquo;04 bring greetings to the Class of 2026. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section><p>UMW Board of Visitors Rector Lee Murray &rsquo;04 addressed the members of the Class of 2026, lauding their success in the classroom and contributions to the Fredericksburg area.<\/p><p>&ldquo;UMW is more than brick buildings and columns.&nbsp;UMW is more than GPAs and late-night cram sessions,&rdquo; he told them. &ldquo;This is a community that will help support&nbsp;you&nbsp;the rest of your life.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p><p>Keynote speaker Lou Marmo &rsquo;94 continued the theme of connection, reflecting on his own graduation more than 30 years ago. As a top executive officer for multiple organizations throughout his professional life, Marmo has stepped in during pivotal moments that required adaptability and resolute leadership. To that point, he offered the grads three pillars of personal and professional success &ndash; conscientiousness, responsiveness and decisiveness.<\/p><section class=\"image-gallery layout__block\">\n\t<div class=\"image-gallery__inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main__track\" js-slideshow-track=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110328\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/richard-simpson-left-helps-zachary-thomas-right-fix-this-graduation-robe\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_lineup2-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"Richard Simpson (left) helps Zachary Thomas (right) fix this graduation robe.\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474234\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0008\",\"title\":\"Richard Simpson (left) helps Zachary Thomas (right) fix this graduation robe.\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW 2026 graduates get ready for the Commencement Ceremony with their classmates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_lineup2-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_lineup2-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110328\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_lineup2-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"Two guys dressed in graduation garb, with one of them helping adjust the other's cords\" class=\"wp-image-110328\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110331\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_student_speaker\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_student_speaker-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473686\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"70\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0003125\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Maria Elizabeth Torres offers the senior class welcome as president of the Class of 2026. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_student_speaker-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_student_speaker-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110331\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_student_speaker-1131x772.jpg\" alt='A girl dressed in graduation garb stands behind a podium with the number \"2026\" in the foreground' class=\"wp-image-110331\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110334\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads-look-back\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads-look-back-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474994\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0008\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW 2026 graduates enjoy the moment. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads-look-back-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads-look-back-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads-look-back-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A lawn filled with soon-to-be graduates\" class=\"wp-image-110334\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--previous\" aria-label=\"Previous\" js-prev>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M18.5 12H6M6 12L12 6M6 12L12 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--next\" aria-label=\"Next\" js-next>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M6 12H18.5M18.5 12L12.5 6M18.5 12L12.5 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails\" js-thumbnails-container=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails__track\" js-thumbnail-track>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 0 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110328\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/richard-simpson-left-helps-zachary-thomas-right-fix-this-graduation-robe\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_lineup2-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"Richard Simpson (left) helps Zachary Thomas (right) fix this graduation robe.\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474234\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0008\",\"title\":\"Richard Simpson (left) helps Zachary Thomas (right) fix this graduation robe.\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW 2026 graduates get ready for the Commencement Ceremony with their classmates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_lineup2-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_lineup2-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110328\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_lineup2-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"Two guys dressed in graduation garb, with one of them helping adjust the other's cords\" class=\"wp-image-110328\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 1 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110331\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_student_speaker\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_student_speaker-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473686\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"70\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0003125\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Maria Elizabeth Torres offers the senior class welcome as president of the Class of 2026. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_student_speaker-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_student_speaker-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110331\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_student_speaker-224x116.jpg\" alt='A girl dressed in graduation garb stands behind a podium with the number \"2026\" in the foreground' class=\"wp-image-110331\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 2 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110334\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads-look-back\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads-look-back-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474994\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0008\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UMW 2026 graduates enjoy the moment. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads-look-back-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads-look-back-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads-look-back-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A lawn filled with soon-to-be graduates\" class=\"wp-image-110334\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description-container\" js-description-container>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">UMW 2026 graduates get ready for the Commencement Ceremony with their classmates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maria Elizabeth Torres offers the senior class welcome as president of the Class of 2026. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">UMW 2026 graduates enjoy the moment. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section><p>&ldquo;At Mary Washington, you weren&rsquo;t just a number in a lecture hall; you were held accountable in small classrooms where your voice and your preparation mattered,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Take that rigor with you. Be the person who is thorough, who has integrity and who cares about the quality of their work even when no one is watching.&rdquo;<\/p><p>He urged them also to stay engaged with their alma mater. &ldquo;Life has a way of getting busy. Careers, moves and new responsibilities will try to pull you apart. Don&rsquo;t let them,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;These are the people who are your &lsquo;home base.&rsquo;&rdquo;<\/p><p>University of Mary Washington Alumni Association President James Llewellyn &rsquo;87 echoed the sentiment, welcoming the Class of 2026 to an alumni family of more than 46,000. &ldquo;As you go forth as Mary Washington alumni,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;be determined, be flexible, be bold and be kind.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p><p>Class Council President Maria Torres, a first-generation student who earned a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in business administration, shared snippets from her childhood, her family&rsquo;s heritage and her parents&rsquo; perseverance in seeing her through college. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m beyond grateful for the sacrifices they&rsquo;ve made for me to be receiving this degree today,&rdquo; Torres said.<\/p><section class=\"image-gallery layout__block\">\n\t<div class=\"image-gallery__inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__main__track\" js-slideshow-track=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110336\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_families\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_families-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1693\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609475519\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"200\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0005\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_families-300x198.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_families-1024x677.jpg\" data-id=\"110336\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_families-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people wave and take photos\" class=\"wp-image-110336\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110337\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_friends\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_friends-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474330\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0004\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_friends-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_friends-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110337\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_friends-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"People clap as soon-to-be graduates pass by\" class=\"wp-image-110337\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__slide\" js-slide=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-main\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1131\" height=\"772\" data-attachment-id=\"110338\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_momanddad_shirts\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_momanddad_shirts-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"Michelle and Scott Ewer pose with their Mom and Dad shirts on before watching thier child, Aiden Ewer, graduate at UMW.\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473921\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.000625\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_momanddad_shirts-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_momanddad_shirts-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_momanddad_shirts-1131x772.jpg\" alt=\"A mom and dad wearing Mary Washingon T-shirts\" class=\"wp-image-110338\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--previous\" aria-label=\"Previous\" js-prev>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M18.5 12H6M6 12L12 6M6 12L12 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__nav image-gallery__nav--next\" aria-label=\"Next\" js-next>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M6 12H18.5M18.5 12L12.5 6M18.5 12L12.5 18\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\r\n<\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails\" js-thumbnails-container=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnails__track\" js-thumbnail-track>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 0 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110336\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_families\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_families-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1693\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5.6\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609475519\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"200\",\"iso\":\"640\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0005\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_families-300x198.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_families-1024x677.jpg\" data-id=\"110336\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_families-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people wave and take photos\" class=\"wp-image-110336\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 1 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110337\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_friends\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_friends-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"6.3\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609474330\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.0004\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_friends-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_friends-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110337\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_friends-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"People clap as soon-to-be graduates pass by\" class=\"wp-image-110337\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail\" aria-label=\"Slide 2 thumbnail\" js-thumbnail>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__slideshow__thumbnail__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-umw-gallery-thumb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"116\" data-attachment-id=\"110338\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026umwgrads_momanddad_shirts\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_momanddad_shirts-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta='{\"aperture\":\"5\",\"credit\":\"\",\"camera\":\"ILCE-7M4\",\"caption\":\"Michelle and Scott Ewer pose with their Mom and Dad shirts on before watching thier child, Aiden Ewer, graduate at UMW.\",\"created_timestamp\":\"1609473921\",\"copyright\":\"\",\"focal_length\":\"25\",\"iso\":\"1250\",\"shutter_speed\":\"0.000625\",\"title\":\"\",\"orientation\":\"1\"}' data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_momanddad_shirts-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_momanddad_shirts-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"110338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/2026UMWgrads_momanddad_shirts-224x116.jpg\" alt=\"A mom and dad wearing Mary Washingon T-shirts\" class=\"wp-image-110338\"><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__pager__section\" js-page><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description-container\" js-description-container>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t                    \t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image-gallery__description\" js-description>\n                                                                        <div class=\"image-gallery__description__summary\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Families and friends cheer on the 2026 Mary Washington graduates. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section><p>Recounting her volunteer hours and service learning experiences throughout college, she urged her classmates to continue contributing to the greater good and asking how they can help, while remembering why.<\/p><p>&ldquo;The point isn&rsquo;t what I did; it&rsquo;s about who I did it for,&rdquo; said Torres. &ldquo;I did it for the people around me, and for the people who got me here. And I believe UMW gave every one of us at least one moment like that, where we saw beyond our work to see how it impacts others. Because UMW has a way of finding where you&rsquo;re needed and putting you there: whether that was a sport, a stage, a lab, or a professor who believed in you before you believed in yourself. At the end of the day, none of us were doing it just for ourselves.&rdquo;<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/commencement\/\">Hear the speeches, see the graduates and watch the 2026 UMW Commencement ceremony online.<\/a><\/strong><\/p><p><em>The&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/09\/top-of-the-class-for-2026-umw-darden-award-honorees\/\"><em>Colgate W. Darden Jr. Award<\/em><\/a><em>&nbsp;for students and several&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/09\/awards-honor-faculty-at-2026-commencement\/\"><em>faculty honors<\/em><\/a><em>&nbsp;were also announced during Saturday&rsquo;s ceremony.<\/em><\/p><p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>byWith their Mary Wash blue regalia, caps decked out just for the day and smiles shared with family and friends, nearly 1,000 graduates traversed Campus Walk this morning for the University of Mary Washington&rsquo;s 115th Commencement.Followed by the faculty who&rsquo;d guided them through the past four years, the Board of Visitors, President Troy D. Paino [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":110321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"umw_cb_additional_links":[[]],"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_advisory_expires_time":"","_advisory_meta_include":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[704],"tags":[],"topics":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-110320","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-stories","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Degree of Excellence: UMW Celebrates 2026 Commencement - News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/09\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Degree of Excellence: UMW Celebrates 2026 Commencement\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"byWith their Mary Wash blue regalia, caps decked out just for the day and smiles shared with family and friends, nearly 1,000 graduates traversed Campus Walk this morning for the University of Mary Washington&rsquo;s 115th Commencement.Followed by the faculty who&rsquo;d guided them through the past four years, the Board of Visitors, President Troy D. Paino [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/09\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UniversityofMaryWashington\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-09T19:29:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-09T19:38:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/05\/NewFeature_Commencement2026_1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"413\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lisa Chinn Marvashti\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@UMaryWash\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@UMaryWash\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lisa Chinn Marvashti\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/09\\\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/09\\\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lisa Chinn Marvashti\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/eab3b9dd084c2488474792f0c391b8e7\"},\"headline\":\"A Degree of Excellence: UMW Celebrates 2026 Commencement\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-09T19:29:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-09T19:38:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/09\\\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1498,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/09\\\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/NewFeature_Commencement2026_1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Top Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/09\\\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/09\\\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/09\\\/a-degree-of-excellence-umw-celebrates-2026-commencement\\\/\",\"name\":\"A Degree of Excellence: UMW Celebrates 2026 Commencement - 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