On Saturday, May 30, the University community gathered at The Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2026.
This year’s commencement ceremony featured remarks from Head of School Alicia LaMagdeleine, Social Studies instructor Tom FitzGibbon, and Dean of Students and Master of Ceremonies Jake Thurman. Senior speakers Vidhatri Iyer, Kothe Birge, and Lindsey Porter shared reflections with their classmates, while Anya Hicks read A Map of the Unfinished, the poem written by Sara Talpos for the opening of University High School.
The ceremony opened with musical selections by the University High School String Quartet and a brass quintet processional of Pomp and Circumstance. Later, the University High School Choir, directed by Kirkland Austin, performed Fly Away Home by Pinkzebra, accompanied by the String Quartet, Daniel Knox on piano, and senior Benjamin Alcantara on violin.
Adding to the excitement of the day, the seven seniors on the varsity baseball team arrived just in time for commencement after helping secure University’s 2A sectional championship earlier that morning. Fresh off the field, they joined their classmates for a celebration that marked both an unforgettable day for the program and the culmination of their time at University High School.
Many thanks to Director of Admission Ashley Crockett-Lohr and Executive Assistant and Event Coordinator Jennifer Thompson for their incredible work on this, the largest graduation in University’s history!
A recording of the ceremony is available on the University High School YouTube page.
Digital-sized photos of the event are available free of charge at jscottphotography.com. Files sized for printing are available there as well.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026! 🎓💙