University of Arizona Celebrates 162nd Commencement with Inspiring Talks

The University of Arizona celebrated a significant milestone as President Suresh Garimella awarded approximately 10,000 degrees across various levels—bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional—during the university’s 162nd Commencement ceremony held at Casino Del Sol Stadium.

Addressing the Class of 2026 and their families, Garimella emphasized that success is a lifelong journey that transcends graduation. “Graduation means different things to different people: the achievement of a longstanding goal, a transition from one phase of life to another, or simply the first step to unlocking your aspirations on an exciting journey,” he stated. “The one thing it does not mean is an end to your education. You will always be asking questions, and you will always be learning.”

The commencement event featured speeches from Regent Cecilia Mata, Provost Patricia Prelock, Associated Students President Adriana Grijalva, Graduate and Professional Student Council President Mourad Abdennebi, among others. Notably, Cisco Aguilar, a distinguished three-time alumnus and Nevada’s secretary of state, received the Alumni Achievement Award. Aguilar remarked, “The University of Arizona has given you more than just a degree. It has given you resilience, amazing friendships, and the mental ability to deal with questionable decisions of all sorts.”

Provost Prelock, participating in her inaugural U of A Commencement, encouraged students to embrace their unique “superpower” of listening and leading with empathy. She offered a metaphorical transformation, illustrating how students’ ideas evolved during their academic journey. “By allowing yourself to explore knowledge and think differently, my hope for each of you is that you’re leaving the university a better place than you found it,” she commented.

The ceremony also acknowledged seven seniors for their exceptional achievements, as well as four recipients of honorary degrees.

Commencement Address

The commencement address was delivered by Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, who reflected on the transformative role of technology. He recalled the 1982 designation of the computer as TIME magazine’s Person of the Year, a symbol of the era’s technological advancements. Schmidt, who graduated that same year with a doctorate in computer science, noted, “In a sense, we thought that we were adding stones to a cathedral of knowledge that humanity had been constructing for centuries.”

Schmidt highlighted the complexities introduced by the very technologies he helped develop, acknowledging their potential for both positive and negative impacts. He urged graduates to actively shape the future of artificial intelligence, which he described as a defining force for their generation. “The future does not simply arrive,” he said. “It gets built – in laboratories, in dormitories, in start-ups, in classrooms, in legislatures. And the people building it will be you and people like you.”

Offering a perspective on AI’s potential, Schmidt referenced the work being done at the Steward Observatory where researchers are involved in creating Lazuli, a telescope collection more powerful than Hubble, with support from Schmidt’s foundation. He advised graduates to preserve their humanity amidst technological advancements, emphasizing the importance of judgment, conscience, perspective, and morality in their endeavors. “Protect what makes you human,” he concluded. “And I do not mean in the abstract. I mean specifically and concretely, in the small decisions you make about what you build, how you build it, and for whom you build it.”