Empire State University Celebrates Class of 2026 in Rochester Ceremony
Empire State University celebrated the Class of 2026 on Friday, May 8 at the Kodak Center, where 200 graduates crossed the stage. Empire State President Lisa Vollendorf, New York State Assemblymember Sarah Clark, and SUNY Board of Trustees member Robert Duffy were in attendance. The university adds these recent graduates to its growing network of over 105,000 alumni worldwide.
Members of the SUNY Empire class of 2026 collectively live in 61 different New York state counties, 24 U.S. states and territories, and 17 countries around the world. They span five generations, from ages 19 to 83. Over 80 graduates are military-affiliated students including active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, Reserve, veterans, spouses, and other dependents.
The ceremony featured remarks from Empire State University President Lisa Vollendorf, Assemblymember Sarah Clark, SUNY Board of Trustees member Robert Duffy, faculty speaker and Assistant Professor Christopher Closson, and student speaker Jakeith Mosley.
SUNY Empire President Lisa Vollendorf said, “Long after tonight, when the celebrations are over and the next challenge is in front of you, your experiences at SUNY Empire, including your ability to keep going, to adapt, and to finish what you started, will serve you well. Your future is only limited by the limits you place on yourself.”
SUNY Empire Faculty Speaker and Assistant Professor Christopher Closson said, “As you move forward to your next endeavor, think of your actions as a pebble dropped into a pond. You may never see how far the ripples travel—or whose life they touch—but they matter. A small act of kindness, encouragement, or service can shape someone else’s future in ways you may never fully know.”
SUNY Empire Student Speaker Jakeith Mosley said, “To me, this moment is more than just a college graduation. This is fulfillment. This is proof that when you put in the effort, stay consistent, and refuse to give up, anything is possible.”
Assemblymember Sarah Clark said, “What you’ve done takes a different kind of discipline. It takes patience. It takes the ability to keep going without immediate rewards. And it takes a belief, sometimes a quiet one, that this effort is going to lead somewhere meaningful.”
SUNY Board of Trustees member Robert Duffy said, “Nobody here followed a straight path to your degree. You work, you sacrifice, you are parents, caregivers, working professionals. Tonight is a culmination of your hard work, your perseverance, and your grit.”
A recording of the ceremony can be found on the university’s commencement webpage.