Lincoln University of Missouri Celebrates Class of 2026 at Commencement Ceremonies

Lincoln University of Missouri celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026 on Saturday, May 9, 2026. The commencement ceremonies were held in the Robert and Charlene Mitchell Auditorium in the Richardson Fine Arts Center on the university's campus.

The university, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a historically Black college or university, awarded associate, bachelor's, master's and specialist degrees. Click here to view the commencement program.

In his address, Lincoln University President John B. Moseley noted that it has been 160 years since the university's founding. He reflected on the institution's origins in 1866 as Lincoln Institute, established to provide educational opportunities for formerly enslaved individuals following the Civil War. Moseley said the university's history reflects a legacy of resilience and progress that continues to shape its mission today.

"I hope you know that your graduation today is among the endless possibilities our founders imagined for you," Moseley said.

A 9 a.m. ceremony recognized graduates from the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; the Department of Humanities and Communication; the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences; the Department of Science, Technology and Mathematics; and Liberal Studies.

At 1 p.m., graduates from the School of Business, School of Education and School of Nursing were honored. The afternoon ceremony was also available to view on YouTube.

U.S. Rep. Alma S. Adams of North Carolina delivered the commencement address at the 9 a.m. ceremony. Elected to Congress in 2014, Adams has championed several educational initiatives during her time in Washington, D.C. She holds degrees from North Carolina A&T and Ohio State and is a member of the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.

"When you walk into rooms that weren't designed for you, and some of them won't be, walk in prepared," Adams said. "Walk in confident. Walk in knowing that you belong there. Walk in knowing you are HBCU strong. Lincolnites, Class of 2026, you, the Centennial Class, you are HBCU strong."

U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell of Missouri delivered the commencement address at the 1 p.m. ceremony. The freshman congressman from Ferguson is a graduate of Lindenwood University and the University of Missouri School of Law and is the former St. Louis County prosecuting attorney.

"Take these opportunities and run with them...You are the wildest dreams of your ancestors," Bell said. "You are in a prime position to make the right decisions and do everything that you want to set out to accomplish, because what do you have to lose?"

During the 9 a.m. ceremony, Adams and Crockett Oaks III, executive director and founder of the Lincoln School Project in West Plains, each received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Lincoln.

The weekend concluded with the 4 p.m. nursing pinning ceremony, a long-standing tradition. During the ceremony, graduates of the Lincoln nursing program were formally inducted into the nursing profession. Click here to view photos from the pinning ceremony.

"Lincoln University endures 160 years after its founding because people have continued to carry it forward over the decades," Moseley said. "You are the next in line. Lincoln Institute was created in 1866 as an answer to that moment in time. Now it is yours. Take it and make everything you touch from here greater, better and more beautiful. Congratulations, Blue Tigers. You have earned your stripes."

Click here to view more commencement photos.