A Look Back at Commencement 2026
A Look Back at Commencement 2026
Dozens of photos capture the excitement, pomp, and joy of the day
Boston University’s 153rd Commencement went off seamlessly, despite temperatures that felt more like July than May. Approximately 5,000 members of the Class of 2026 gathered on Nickerson Field on Sunday, May 17, joined by roughly 20,000 family members and friends who were on hand to cheer on the graduates.
And, as always, our photography team managed to be everywhere at once throughout the day. BU photojournalists Cydney Scott and Jackie Ricciardi, and Janice Checchio, associate creative director of photography, were aided by seven freelance photographers. Together, they took an astonishing 15,000 photos of the daylong celebration.
The BU photographers then had the daunting task of going through all of those images to pull together some five dozen of their favorites for this special photo essay—including those of Commencement speaker Reshma Kewalramani (CAS’98, CAMED’98, Hon.’26), president and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and student speaker Blake Hanrahan (Questrom’26).
Take a look. Our thanks to them for their amazing work. And, again, our congratulations to the Class of 2026!
Photo by Michael D. Spencer
Photo by Doug Levy
Photo by Simon Simard
Photo by Doug Levy
Photo by Doug Levy
Photo by Michael D. Spencer
Photo by Michael D. Spencer
Photo by Michael D. Spencer
Photo by Colgan Johnson
Photo by Colgan Johnson
Photo by Hannah Osofsky
Photo by Doug Levy
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Michael D. Spencer
Photo by Hannah Osofsky
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Hannah Osofsky
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Simon Simard
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo by Simon Simard
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Colgan Johnson
Photo by Hannah Osofsky
Photo by Cydney Scott
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Simon Simard
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Simon Simard
Photo by Colgan Johnson
Photo by Chris McIntosh
Photo by Hannah Osofsky
Photo by Dave Green
Photo by Dave Green