Charlotte’s 2026 May Commencement Ceremonial Details And Schedules For May 7-9
UNC Charlotte will hold May commencement ceremonies for 2026 graduates Thursday, May 7, through Saturday, May 9, in Dale F. Halton Arena in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center.
During five ceremonies, the University will confer more than 5,780 degrees and certificates at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate levels. Graduates represent 32 countries, 40 states, 88 North Carolina counties and range in age from 16 to 73. The graduating class also features six sets of twins.
Jude Bianouni, the youngest graduate, will receive a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and Deborah Parrish, the most seasoned graduate, will receive a bachelor’s degree in political science.
A special Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, including conferral of degrees for all programs, will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 7. Jennifer M. L. Adelhardt, business administration, will give the student address; Kaitlin E. Klotz, philosophy and biology, will serve as bell ringer; and Chance Lewis, the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor of Urban Education, will serve as University marshal.
Friday’s 10 a.m. ceremony is for undergraduates in the College of Arts + Architecture, College of Computing and Informatics and College of Health and Human Services. Kennedy L. Carpenter, nursing, will give the student address; Chase K. Minor, social work, will serve as bell ringer; and Nadia Najjar, teaching associate professor of software and information systems, will serve as university marshal.
Friday’s 3 p.m. ceremony is for undergraduates in the William States Lee College of Engineering and the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences. Foster D. Duckworth, history and Japanese, will give the student address; Kierra M. Andrews, political science, business administration and management, will serve as bell ringer; and Susana Cisneros, senior lecturer of Spanish, will serve as university marshal. In addition, Cisneros will be honored with the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Saturday’s 10 a.m. ceremony is for undergraduates in the Belk College of Business, Cato College of Education and the Klein College of Science. Abby Grace Bare, elementary education, will give the student address; Patrick K. Bonna, business administration and finance, will serve as bell ringer; and Luke Reinke, associate professor of reading and elementary education, will serve as university marshal.
Emily Hoyle, senior class president will serve as the tassel turner for all three of the undergraduate ceremonies. Hoyle is completing a bachelor’s degree in political science and communication studies from the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences.
The Graduate School Ceremony for master’s and graduate certificates for all programs will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday. Christina Olmstead, social work, will give the student address; Shailesh Kumar, computer science, will serve as bell ringer; and Gene Lai, the James J. Harris Endowed Chair in Risk Management and Insurance, will serve as University marshal.
Upcoming Commencement Celebrations
- Doctoral Hooding Reception, Thursday, May 7
- Official 49er Ring Ceremony, Thursday, May 7
- Forever a Niner: Celebrate Your Journey, Thursday, May 7
- Cato College of Education Commencement Reception, Saturday, May 9
- William States Lee College of Engineering Commencement Reception, Friday, May 9
- Klein College of Science Commencement Reception, Saturday, May 9
Important commencement reminders
- Graduating students are required to have a UNC Charlotte student ID card or mobile ID to enter the graduate area. If you do not have a valid UNC Charlotte ID card, follow the instructions on how to download a mobile ID.
- A clear bag policy will be enforced at Halton Arena, and umbrellas, balloons, noisemakers, posters, banners and flags are not allowed in the facility.
- Volunteers are still needed for all ceremonies for guest and graduate assistance. Register to volunteer.
Parking and Transportation
PaTS will implement temporary service changes to accommodate parking and transportation needs for May commencement.
Friday, May 8
- Craver Road will close at 8 a.m. and reopen around 7 p.m.
- The following decks/lots will close at 11 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, to prepare for commencement parking: West Deck, Union Deck, Cone Decks 1 and 2, SAC South Lot and SAC North Lot and Lots 7 and 7A.
- Parking at East Deck, South Village Deck or North Deck is recommended for those not attending commencement.
- A shuttle will run between the UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel and Craver Road. Transportation will also be provided from the UNC Charlotte Main light rail station.
- Niner Transit will operate two Silver and two Green buses. Paratransit will operate on-demand service.
Saturday, May 9
- Craver Road will close at 8 a.m. and reopen around 6 p.m.
- Parking will be reserved for commencement attendees only in the following lots/decks: West Deck, Cone Deck, Union Deck, SAC South Lot and SAC North Lot and Lots 7 and 7A.
- A shuttle will run between the UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel and Craver Road. Transportation will also be provided from the UNC Charlotte Main light rail station.
- Niner Transit will operate two Silver and two Green buses. Paratransit will operate on-demand service.
Light Rail Single Track at New Bern Station
Due to construction in South End, Blue Line trains will share a single track at New Bern, from Wednesday, April 29, through Friday, May 8, which may cause delays. Check the CATS website for the latest updates and use the CATS Pass app for real-time train locations and schedules.
Please reach out to Parking and Transportation Services at 704-687-0161 or pats@charlotte.edu with any questions.