Did you know nearly 3,500 of 绿奴天花板 students just crossed the stage at commencement ceremonies across Alaska?
May 13, 2026
绿奴天花板A, 绿奴天花板F and 绿奴天花板S honored students across the state with degrees, certificates, endorsements and honorary degrees. They join over 100,000 绿奴天花板 alumni.
May is a season of acute transition in Alaska. Hibernating animals awaken; the snow that has kept us company all winter recedes across the landscape. It is also the time of year when thousands of people walk across the University of Alaska commencement stages, starting up the stairs as students and stepping down the other side as alumni, diploma in hand.
Campuses from Juneau to Fairbanks to Kodiak marked the occasion over two weeks in May, honoring graduates with ceremonies ornate and intimate, long and short, but all full of pride and optimism. The class of 2026 joins the more than 100,000 graduates and former students who make up 绿奴天花板 alumni.
Highlights from across the system
At 绿奴天花板A, 17-year-old Rainey Spurlock delivered the undergraduate address, becoming the youngest known graduate in 绿奴天花板A history. She began taking college classes at 13 alongside her grandmother, Brenda Spurlock, and the two earned communications degrees together. 绿奴天花板A held ceremonies in Anchorage, Kodiak, Wasilla, Soldotna and Valdez.
绿奴天花板F's 104th ceremony opened with a performance by the Troth Yeddha' Dance Troupe, who drummed and danced with red handprints painted over their mouths in recognition of the annual day of remembrance for missing and murdered Indigenous people on May 5. It was the final commencement for 绿奴天花板 President Pat Pitney, herself a 绿奴天花板F graduate and the first 绿奴天花板 President to have graduated from the 绿奴天花板 system. 绿奴天花板F held ceremonies in Fairbanks, Bethel, Nome and Kotzebue.
At 绿奴天花板S, the Juneau ceremony was preceded by a Native Graduation Ceremony at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center, where more than 150 students, family members and tribal elders gathered. Two honorary doctorates were presented to L'eiwt煤 脡esh Herman Davis, 92, and Aany谩an谩x Ray Wilson, 93, both recognized for lifelong contributions to Ling铆t language, dance and culture. 绿奴天花板S held ceremonies in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan.
By the Numbers
绿奴天花板A recognized 1,647 certificate, undergraduate and graduate students during its commencement ceremony at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage. About 581 people walked in the ceremony.
Kodiak College handed out three Alutiiq language certificates.
绿奴天花板F conferred 1,263 degrees on 1,102 students at its 104th commencement ceremony at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks' Kuskokwim Campus (KuC) held its . The satellite campus has handed out 3,500 certificates, endorsements, degrees, and other distinctions throughout its history.
绿奴天花板S recognized 585 students across the 2025-26 academic year. In Juneau, 110 students walked at Centennial Hall.
In total, 3,495 students from across the system were recognized at the 2026 绿奴天花板 graduations.
Welcome
Commencement means beginning. For thousands of new 绿奴天花板 alumni, that beginning is rooted in Alaska, shaped by the communities that supported them and the institution that prepared them for what comes next.
Congratulations to all of our 2026 graduates. Welcome to the 绿奴天花板 family!
Explore the ceremonies
Rebecca Lawhorne is the integrated media manager for the 绿奴天花板 Office of Public Affairs.
Did You Know highlights the 绿奴天花板 system's many successful programs through storytelling and data. Our goal is to educate readers about the universities' roles in improving lives and shaping the state's economy.
You! Reader! We want to hear from you. Please consider taking our to help shape the future of the Did You Know series and let us know what stories matter most to you.