Nearly 7,000 graduates, loved ones, faculty, and staff packed Portland’s Cross Insurance Arena on Saturday as the University of Southern Maine celebrated its 146th commencement. The University awarded 1,615 degrees to the class of 2026, with 1,098 individuals taking part in the celebration.
The class of 2026 represents the full breadth of the University — including 40 doctoral recipients, the largest such cohort in USM history. Their achievement was marked earlier in the week with a doctoral hooding ceremony, alongside pinning ceremonies for occupational therapy and nursing graduates.
University President Jacqueline Edmondson opened commencement, welcoming the graduating class with a tribute to their hard work — and a call to carry it forward.
“Higher education is essential to a healthy democracy — it’s where we prepare global citizens, not just for careers, but for life,” Edmondson said. “You are able to think critically and ethically, engage across differences, and contribute to the communities we share as a result of your education and experiences in college.”
The ceremony also marked a homecoming of sorts for Henry A. Giroux, a USM alumnus who earned his bachelor’s degree in 1967. Appearing via video, Giroux delivered the commencement address and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, recognizing a lifetime of scholarship in education, democracy, and civic responsibility.
“It was here in the 1960s that I first learned that education is not simply about acquiring knowledge, but about learning how to think, question, and imagine the world differently,” Giroux said. “Education is not a luxury; it is a necessity — not simply a pathway to a career, but a moral and political force, a vital resource for understanding the world and changing it.”
Najmo Ahmed, a first-generation college student from Lewiston, Maine, was selected as the student commencement speaker. Ahmed, who earned her degree in social and behavioral sciences, acknowledged the perseverance required to reach commencement day.
“This moment belongs to those who suffered constant sleepless nights and were up at dawn to study for exams, those who showed up despite mental health struggles, financial stress, and broken homes, those who worked night shifts and still made it to their 8 a.m. class,” Ahmed said. “This is for you.”
Her remarks drew a standing ovation from the crowd.
The class of 2026 joins USM’s alumni network of more than 65,000 graduates worldwide.