Lipscomb University celebrates one of largest graduating classes in school history with over 1,000 May graduates

Lipscomb University celebrates one of largest graduating classes in school history with over 1,000 May graduates

Office of Public Relations & Communications | 05/04/2026

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Saturday, May 2 was an exciting day for the Lipscomb University community as degrees were conferred to over 1,000 students, marking the completion of their academic journey across two ceremonies on Saturday, May 2 in front of family, friends, faculty and staff in a packed Allen Arena.

The day began with a morning ceremony to celebrate the academic accomplishments of graduate students with the awarding of doctoral, specialist and master's degrees. The ceremony marked a university milestone as students were awarded Master of Science degrees in applied AI for the first time.

Sarah Collier, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, gave the professional charge to students during the graduate commencement. She encouraged graduates to celebrate the success of others, recognize the community that helped bring them to this milestone and lead with kindness and humility.

"Nobody gets to where they are by themselves," she told graduates, pointing to the family members, friends, faculty and staff who had supported them along the way.

She also urged graduates to carry Lipscomb's emphasis on servant leadership into their workplaces, communities and relationships. "Make it a little inconvenient for you to help someone else along, because it is worth it," said Collier. "These relationships are worth it."

In her charge to graduate students, Lipscomb President Candice McQueen challenged graduates to see themselves as leaders, not simply because of the degrees they had earned, but because of the influence they now carry in their families, workplaces, churches and communities. She reminded them that earning an advanced degree places them in a small group of people who have completed graduate-level education and gives them both opportunity and responsibility.

"As you leave here today, remember, you're a leader," McQueen told graduates. "You are a person that now is empowered to do something more."

McQueen urged graduates to embrace a model of servant leadership rooted in humility, reflection and faith, pointing to Jesus washing the feet of his disciples as the ultimate example. "Leadership is always about them, not you," she said. "Leadership is about people."

Finally, she encouraged graduates to reflect on their experiences, carry forward Lipscomb's call to be a light and step into the future with confidence. "The same God who calls you to this place, Lipscomb University, for this degree, is the exact same God who now sends you from it to do good work and to lead," she said.

During the afternoon undergraduate ceremony, bachelor's degrees were conferred. In his faculty charge, Steve Taylor, Imagine House executive director and associate professor of cinematic arts, encouraged graduates to embrace their God-given creativity and move into their next chapter with courage rather than fear.

Taylor reminded the graduates that creativity is not limited to the arts, but can be expressed through innovative business models, scientific discovery, teaching and service. Drawing from 2 Timothy 1:7, he challenged graduates to "dare to dream," grounding their futures not simply in the knowledge they have gained, but in faith, character, love and a sound mind.

"All of you are creative. You were made that way by our Creator," Taylor told graduates. "And the challenge is not whether or not you've got creativity in you. The challenge is, what are you going to do with it?"

In her president's charge to undergraduate students, McQueen reflected on the Class of 2026 as a group especially meaningful to her as the first class she has known from recruitment through graduation. She also noted that this is the first group of students to have been part of the Center for Vocational Discovery for all four years of its existence.

McQueen invited graduates to consider a simple but revealing question, "If your lives in this new season could be summed up on a slogan T-shirt, what would it say?" Drawing from the humor of T-shirts she has seen at Disney and while running in a race as part of the recent Nashville Rock-n-Roll Marathon series of races, McQueen used the image as a way to ask graduates to think about the story their lives will tell as they move into their next chapter and connected that question to running, a metaphor the Apostle Paul used to describe a life of faith, purpose, discipline and endurance.

"Running really is a metaphor for life," McQueen said, . "Transitions, whatever transition you're in, require change, and they require you to step into something that possibly looks easier, but actually may not be."

She encouraged them to trust God through unexpected hills, remain faithful when adjustments are needed and stay grounded in their identity. "The promise isn't that the race is going to be easy," she said. "The promise is that you're not running it alone. There is no single way to get there, there is no single definition of success, and there is no limit to what God can do through a life that is willing … to grow and persevere and to serve. Trust God more than your plans, be faithful in the adjustment, and never forget who and whose you are."

Commencement culminated several days of ceremonies and events honoring the May Class of 2026 graduates. These included the IDEAL graduation ceremony, a dinner to recognize student veteran graduates, the traditional nursing pinning ceremony, a Baccalaureate service for undergraduate students, the College of Pharmacy recognition ceremony, a provost's brunch and various other college celebrations.

- Photos by Kristi Jones