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Commonwealth University-Mansfield holds spring 2026 commencement ceremonies

MANSFIELD, Pa. (05/20/2026) — Commonwealth University-Mansfield celebrated the graduating Class of 2026 during two commencement ceremonies held on Saturday, May 16, in Straughn Auditorium. Undergraduate students in the College of Health, Science and Technology; and the Zeigler College of Business, along with all associate, master's and doctoral degree programs, were recognized in a ceremony held at 1 p.m. Undergraduate students in the College of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences were recognized in the 4 p.m. ceremony.

More than 150 members of the Class of 2026 received their degrees.

Speakers included Dr. Jeffery Osgood, CU president; Gretchen Sechrist, interim vice provost, dean of undergraduate education and Mansfield campus administrator; John Wetzel, CU Council of Trustees chair; Susan Kefover, CU Council of Trustees; Dr. Kenyatta Johnson, City of Philadelphia City Council president; Justin Knarr, Student Government Association president; and Debbie Jennings '17, ASSH, Alumni Board of Directors.

"You came of age in a world that taught you uncertainty before it taught you stability," Osgood said. "You learned to adapt before you learned to settle. You learned how fragile things are. Institutions. Economies. Truth. Even each other. You are not the generation that gave up under pressure. You are the generation that was forged by it."

"So, graduates, when this ceremony ends and the music fades and the photos are posted and the gowns are packed away, the question is not whether you will be successful. All of you will be," Osgood added. "The question is whether your success will make the world colder - or more human."

"Today feels like a finish line, but it also feels like a beginning we've been quietly preparing for all along," Knarr said. "As we move forward, let's not be afraid to take risks, to fail, to grow. Let's stay connected to the people who helped us get here and keep our eyes open for even more exciting opportunities. And most importantly, let's not forget, that wherever we go in the world, we can still call Mansfield home."

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