PHOTOS and VIDEO: Spring Commencement 2026

At ‘UND’s Super Bowl,’ graduates and their families celebrate an achievement that will last a lifetime

Editor’s note: As further explained below, be sure to check out the Exposure slideshow of Commencement activities that UND photographers produced, as well as the slate of Commencement-related videos that can be found on UND’s YouTube page.

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There is nothing else like it in the life of a graduate — or a university.

That would be Commencement, an academic tradition with its origins in medieval Europe, which makes it a ceremony that has been graduating students and launching them into the scholarly and professional worlds for nearly a thousand years.

At UND, “this is what I call our Super Bowl, our World Series, our Grammy Awards, our Tony Awards,” said President Andy Armacost in remarks at the Spring Commencement Undergraduate ceremony on May 16. “This is the day we celebrate something truly big for each of our graduates.

“And so, to the graduates, this is your day,” Armacost continued. “We’re excited to be here to celebrate with you what you accomplished to persistence and effort. You showed up, you put in the work, and you made it to today. … The foundation for greatness has been laid here at the University of North Dakota, and we know you’re going to carry quite a bit of UND with you when you go out into the world.”

With Armacost presiding, both the Spring Commencement Undergraduate and Graduat

e ceremonies were held in the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. Earlier this month, UND held Commencement ceremonies for 66 graduates of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and 61 graduates of the UND School of Law.

‘Something uniquely powerful’

At the May 16 events, more than 1,200 undergraduate students and 540 graduate students were eligible to be awarded their degrees.

Also present at both events was a stadium full of proud family and friends. “As parents, we watch our children grow through stages – from their first steps to their first day of school, from moments of uncertainty to moments of triumph,” said Tim Mihalick, a member of the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, in remarks delivered at the Graduate ceremony. “But there is something uniquely powerful about seeing your child walk across a stage like this. It’s a moment when all those years of effort, all the late nights, all the challenges and choices, come together to really reflect on those things that matter most – family connection. I know many of you feel much of that same emotion today.

“And I’m right there with you,” said Mihalick, whose daughter was among the day’s graduates at UND.

Graduating students, of course, approached the event — and the rest of their lives —with their own swirls of excitement, anticipation and even a little fear. “Today, we leave with more than a degree,” said Maxwell Eriksrud, who addressed the Undergraduate ceremony as both a graduating senior and the student member of the State Board of Higher Education for the 2025-26 term.

“We leave with the ability to decide what kind of impact we want to have on the people and communities around us….

“North Dakota is not a place that usually demands attention,” Eriksrud continued. “It is not the largest state, the wealthiest, or the most talked about. But what it has consistently produced are people willing to work, lead, and contribute in meaningful ways. Some were born here. Others came here from somewhere else and were touched by its influence. And you are now a part of it’s history and perhaps its future. …

“The lessons learned from this state and those who have impacted it can serve as proof of what can be possible,” Eriksrud concluded.

PHOTOS and VIDEO

UND’s video team attended all of the University’s Commencement events and have posted relevant videos at UND’s YouTube page. The videos showcase the Undergraduate and Graduate ceremonies (both on May 16), the School of Law Commencement Address by North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lisa K. Fair McEvers (delivered on May 9), the School of Medicine Commencement Address by North Dakota Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden (delivered on May 2), and a rich lineup of short videos, including one from a camera worn by a graduate while crossing the stage.

In addition, UND photographers were hard at work throughout the May 16 ceremonies, and have produced an Exposure slideshow that highlights the day’s extraordinary meaning and emotions.

Enjoy! And to all the graduates and their families, congratulations!