Congrats, Class of Spring 2026!

UM-Dearborn celebrated its spring 2026 graduates in three ceremonies on May 2. Among the thousands who crossed the stage, there were many with stories of working through challenges to find success on the other side.

College of Business graduate Gabrielle Washington’s work toward her degree helped the mother of four transition from factory-line work to a senior analyst job at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. College of Education, Health and Human Services graduate Collin Miller, a sports management major and the UM-Dearborn Men’s Basketball team captain, earned an education that guided him as he helped run Detroit Pistons Academy youth sports camps over the last four years. After graduation, he’ll lead college students as an assistant basketball coach while pursuing graduate school.

“I want to be an example to my children and for people looking for a new path forward. I want them to know that strength and determination will push you through the most challenging times when you know a better future is on the other side,” said Washington, who was a teen mom when she first started her college journey in 2008.

Washington and Miller were among the 1,072 Dearborn Wolverines honored over three 90-minute ceremonies. Two undergraduate ceremonies took place at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., and a graduate ceremony was held at 5 p.m. Of the 1,090 degrees, 674 were awarded to undergraduates and 410 to master’s candidates. One specialist and five doctoral degrees also were awarded.

The newest graduates of UM-Dearborn joined U-M’s alumni network of more than 695,000. This spring, U-M graduated nearly 14,000 students for the spring 2026 term across its Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses and reached a historic moment of awarding its 1 millionth degree. To mark the occasion, all graduates received a commemorative tassel for their mortarboards with the numeral 1 in front of the block “M.”

During the first two ceremonies of the day, undergraduate ceremonies student speaker Rehab Jadallah talked about the perseverance and grit shown by her peers — and she pointed to the examples of strength Dearborn Wolverines have witnessed within their own families and social circles.

“This is a campus shaped by families who rebuilt their lives more than once. Families who crossed countries, learned new systems, worked long hours, and treated education like something fragile, something earned,” said Jadallah, whose parents are Palestinian. Her mother’s family was displaced and her father came to the U.S. for safety.

She also recognized the challenges that many Class of 2026 grads overcame — from starting over in a new place to adjusting the timelines of their goals. “We do not graduate untouched by difficulty. We graduate stronger because of it,” said Jadallah, a College of Engineering and Computer Science graduate who will begin her career as a software engineer at Stryker while pursuing a master’s degree in computer science. “So when the next plan shifts — and it will — we will not panic. We will not freeze. We will adjust because that is what we have been doing all along.”

Undergraduate keynote speaker Eric Ham, a 1995 College of Arts, Sciences and Letters alum, is a journalist who has worked for several respected media outlets, including the Associated Press and the BBC. For decades, Ham has covered times of transition and uncertainty — including wars, presidential elections, the pandemic and U.S. government shutdowns.

Looking out into the crowd, Ham let the students know how much their voices are necessary today and into the future — especially, he said, during times of war and with the U.S. buckling under the weight of political polarization and change. “But through it all, never stop seeking, never stop searching, never stop until you find your voice,” Ham said. “Your voice could be the vehicle that jumpstarts a movement. Your voice, your own individualistic, quirky, passionate and, yes, determinative voice could be the insight and direction that we all need.” Read Ham's keynote speech.

Graduate ceremony student speaker Ana Karla Albisua Bermudez, who earned her Master of Science in engineering management, said the day is more than an academic milestone — it’s evidence of the Class of 2026’s commitment, grit and collective journey toward becoming better versions of themselves. It’s also a reminder that they have the training needed to help create pathways for climate resilience, equitable infrastructure, accessible healthcare systems and responsible innovation. “Our mindsets — analytical, systematic and human-centered — are exactly what is needed to navigate uncertainty with integrity, creativity and courage,” she said.

UM-Dearborn’s campus community — which is rich in diversity from academic interests to cultural backgrounds — was a great place to learn different perspectives on how to solve problems and be a steward for responsible change, she told her fellow graduates. “Regardless of our background, our nationality, our culture, how we identify, or the language we speak, the world needs us. I cannot and will not sugarcoat the reality that we are all living in. It has become more and more clear that the world we live in is upside down. We are stepping into a world that is complex, polarized and often uncertain,” she said. “But we Wolverines do not run from complexity. We are trained to understand it, to break it down and to build something better in its place.”

Interim Chancellor Gabriella Scarlatta, who has been at UM-Dearborn for nearly 30 years, said drawing on diverse backgrounds and cultures creates a learning, teaching and research experience that produces citizens of the world who are ready to take on what’s next. “We are a community. A community that includes people from down the street, across the country and around the globe,” Scarlatta said. “And every day, we interact across our differences — and our similarities — creating a campus culture that is rooted in mutual respect.”

Professor of Engineering and Computer and Information Science Bruce Maxim, who has taught at UM-Dearborn for more than 40 years and is one of Jadallah’s favorite professors, has educated generations of students and seen the positive impact that UM-Dearborn grads have on the world. In his graduate ceremony keynote, Maxim told graduates that meaningful work — whether in engineering, business, education, health, the arts, public service or entrepreneurship — often causes friction.

Knowing the focus that UM-Dearborn students put on advocacy along with academics, Maxim shared a few points of guidance and strategy. “Build bravely, revise often. Take some risks. Tell the truth when things aren’t working. Learn from your mistakes. Update your plan based on new information. Hold conversations with people who disagree with you. Remember to open doors for other people,” Maxim said. “The 2026 graduating class of UM-Dearborn, whatever you build next — careers, families, companies, communities, art, systems, movements — do it with courage and humility. Do it with the boldness of youth and the perspective of age.” Read Maxim's keynote address.

Ham, at the end of his speech, said the education gained at UM-Dearborn will guide the graduates into their next chapter. But, first, the newest alums should reflect and celebrate the day they’ve dreamed about for years.

"So take the day, take the week. Celebrate your moment. You’ve earned it. But then take what UM-Dearborn has given you. Gird yourselves with the training and knowledge that only can be gained from our wonderful institution,” he said. “And go be bold, go be daring, go change and shape the world.”

See more photos from the big day.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury. Photos by Matthew Stephens and Jaime Crawford.