The University of Baltimore will hold its spring 2026 Commencement ceremonies for the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences on Wednesday, May 20 at The Lyric, adjacent to the campus. The University will host a ceremony for graduate students, beginning at 10 a.m., and a ceremony for undergraduates, beginning at 2 p.m.
For both ceremonies, a full platform party, including UBalt faculty, staff and administrators, will celebrate the achievements of the graduates.
Two specially-selected students will deliver remarks, and all graduating students’ names will be read as they are presented with their diplomas.
At the graduate ceremony, Erick Masaua, who will receive an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, will speak. At the undergraduate ceremony, Gamar Hayles, who will receive a B.S. in Information Systems and Technology Management, with a minor in Economics and Public Policy, both from the Merrick School of Business, will speak. These student speakers will deliver remarks as representatives of their respective classes. They were selected by a panel of University representatives.
The University System of Maryland Board of Regents will be represented by Regent Yvette Lewis, who will offer greetings during both ceremonies. University of Baltimore President Kurt L. Schmoke will offer remarks at the ceremonies, and each school's dean will announce the graduates for the president to confer their degrees.
Abell Foundation President and CEO Fagan Harris, former chief of staff to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, will deliver a keynote address at the ceremonies.
Harris served as Gov. Moore's chief of staff from his historic inauguration in 2023 through 2025. In that role, he managed the Governor's Offices and oversaw the day-to-day operations of state government. He led the state through historic negotiations to retain the beloved Baltimore Orioles, managed Maryland's response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, and guided the development and implementation of the state's $67 billion budget. He is the co-founder of Baltimore Corps, where he served as CEO for 10 years. Under his leadership, Baltimore Corps reimagined recruiting, hiring, and career advancement for underestimated communities.
Harris holds a B.A. in Political Science and American Studies from Stanford University, where he graduated with honors, and a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He is a proud graduate of Maryland public schools.
More information about Commencement is available here.