Stony Brook University Confers More Than 7,640 Degrees to Class Of 2026 at LaValle Stadium

President Andrea Goldsmith Celebrates Her First Commencement at Stony Brook, Joined by Presenter and New York State Assembly Speaker and Alumnus Carl E. Heastie

STONY BROOK, NY-May 22, 2026-At her first commencement as the seventh president of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Andrea Goldsmith declared, "we look forward to seeing all that you will achieve, and the profound impact you will have on the world in the years ahead! With your outstanding Stony Brook education and the extraordinary Seawolf culture and spirit you will always carry, we know that you will change our world for the better."

Today, 7,570 State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University) students joined the ranks of the university's accomplished alumni at the Commencement 2026 celebration ceremony, which took place at LaValle Stadium at 11 am.

Students from this year's graduating class were awarded a combined 7,640 degrees and certificate completions (some students receive more than one degree).

Degrees were bestowed in the following categories:

• 4,575 Bachelor's Degrees
• 2,150 Master's Degrees
• 620 Doctoral and Professional Degrees
• 295 Certificates

The Class of 2026 officially joined the ranks of more than 237,000 alumni. This class contains students from 65 countries and 41 states.

Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith, Provost Carl Lejuez, and university deans conferred the degrees to the students. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul provided a congratulatory video celebrating the students' successful completion of their studies.

President Goldsmith shared that students "leave this university with an education from inside and outside the classroom that has provided a strong foundation for your future success. You have developed deep knowledge of your field. You have learned how to think broadly and deeply, to be creative and resilient, to ask important questions, and to explore new intellectual frontiers. You have also strengthened your uniquely human talents of innovation, curiosity, insight, perspective, and collaboration, which cannot be replaced by AI. Stony Brook has taught you how to seek out opportunities rather than expect them to come to you."

New York State Assembly Speaker and alumnus Carl E. Heastie also addressed the Stony Brook community and encouraged graduates to uplift others as they advance in life, saying "no matter how successful you are, no matter where you go, no matter how much money you make, please put your arm behind you and bring along somebody from the next generation."

Student speaker and Bachelor of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from the School of Health Professions recipient Zachary Don shared, "7,500 of us have the honor of being part of the Stony Brook [University] class of 2026. While we might be leaving campus today, our impact is going to continue to share what it means to truly be a Seawolf for generations to come. I want to take a second now and personally thank the members of the university community who have helped us get to these seats today."

The Undergraduate Student Government collected donations totaling just over $7,800 from 520 donors as part of the Senior Class Gift.

Additional high-resolution photos and video available upon request.

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About The State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University)

The State University of New York at Stony Brook is New York's flagship university and No. 1 public university. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. With more than 27,000 students, more than 3,000 faculty members, more than 225,000 alumni, a premier academic healthcare system and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs, Stony Brook is a research-intensive distinguished center of innovation dedicated to addressing the world's biggest challenges. The university embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality, and is ranked as the #59 overall university and #26 among public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges listing. Fostering a commitment to academic research and intellectual endeavors, Stony Brook's membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 71 research institutions in North America. The university's distinguished faculty have earned esteemed awards such as the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize, Fields Medal, Breakthrough prizes in mathematics and physics, and MacArthur Fellows Genius Grants. Stony Brook has the responsibility of co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy - one of only eight universities with a role in running a national laboratory. In 2023, Stony Brook was named the anchor institution for The New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island in New York City. Providing economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region, the university totals an impressive $8.93 billion in increased economic output on Long Island. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stonybrooku/ and X@stonybrooku.