Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Wellesley celebrated the purple class of 2026 along with their families and friends at Wellesley’s 148th commencement exercises on Friday, May 15, 2026. Commencement speaker Ruth J. Simmons urged the class to “embrace the full humanity of others.”

Chapters:
00:00 Procession
12:24 Ceremony opening by President Paula Johnson
13:15 Invocation and land acknowledgement by Chaplain Amira Quraishi
16:50 Welcome by President Paula Johnson
21:25 Introduction to student speaker by senior class co-presidents Claire Schultz ’26 and Vivian Lee ’26
25:42 Student Address by Elise Christina Wilson ’26
35:55 Awarding of Pinanski Prize for Excellence in Teaching
43:55 Faculty appointments
46:10 Faculty retirements
49:24 Introduction of Commencement Speaker Ruth J. Simmons
53:49 Commencement Address by Ruth J. Simmons
1:17:52 Address to the Graduating Class by President Paula Johnson
1:35:27 Degree conferral
2:29:20 America the Beautiful
2:32:17 Benediction

See our commencement website for more information: https://www.wellesley.edu/commencement.