SPHHS Celebrates Class of 2026
The SPHHS ceremony recognized its undergraduate Class of 2026, which this year welcomed over 500 graduating seniors.
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The School of Public Health and Health Sciences held its Senior Recognition Ceremony on Sunday, May 17, 2026, in the Mullins Center on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus. The SPHHS ceremony recognized its undergraduate Class of 2026, which this year welcomed over 500 graduating seniors into its ranks.
See photos from the event on Instagram.
Dean Anna Maria Siega-Riz welcomed a large crowd of family, friends, and guests who were gathered to celebrate the new graduates. She shared two “powerful reminders” with the new graduates: don’t be afraid to fail and never stop learning.
“Graduates, you are entering a world that needs you—perhaps more than ever,” she said. “This year alone has reminded us how fragile our systems can be, and how urgently we need leaders like you to tackle the big issues: health and resource inequities, developing policy based on scientific evidence, mitigating the effects of climate change, and more. Your voice matters. Your work matters. Having a sense of purpose is foundational to a well-lived life.”
She closed with a message that graduation was not the end, but “…the beginning of a lifelong journey in service to others, built on the foundation of hard work, perseverance, kindness, and compassion.”
Gloria Walker-Hoover, a Public Health Sciences graduate with a strong commitment to community health, research, and global learning opportunities, served as the ceremony's student speaker. Walker-Hoover shared her story of overcoming loss and how life sometimes forces us to “take a left turn,” choosing paths that are unexpected, experiences that stretch you, and opportunities that shape who you become.
"Life is rarely linear," she said. "The unexpected turns often become the most meaningful parts of our story. Throughout my college journey, I learned to trust my intuition even during uncertainty. I learned it’s not about where you start, but how you finish. And more importantly, who you become along the way.”
She closed with a reminder to the Class of 2026 that they should always keep moving forward, even when the path is different from what you expected or things didn’t go according to plan – even when life forces you to take a “left turn.”
In addition, the ceremony featured a recognition of teaching award recipients from Gloria DiFulvio, associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs, and talks from Zhenhua Liu, interim chair of the Department of Nutrition; Richard van Emmerik, chair of the Department of Kinesiology; Gwyneth Rost, interim chair for the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences; and Sofija Zagarins, program director for the Public Health Sciences major.
A full replay of the ceremony is available on the SPHHS website here.
The SPHHS Senior Recognition Ceremony was one of numerous graduation activities held over the course of the university’s 156th Commencement, during which UMass Amherst conferred degrees to over 9,300 students.
Kimberly S. Budd, the 38th Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, delivered the undergraduate commencement address to approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 20,000 family, friends and faculty assembled at the Warren P. McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Friday, May 15th.
Between May 9-17, 2026, the university celebrated many special events, including the Commonwealth Honors College Celebration of Excellence, the Stockbridge School of Agriculture associate’s degree ceremony, and school and college Senior Recognition ceremonies across campus. In addition, the university conferred over 2200 master’s degrees during the Master’s and Education Specialist Ceremony on May 15th and 393 doctoral degrees during the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on May 9th.
