Palm Beach Atlantic University Inc.

05/08/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/08/2026 16:06

Palm Beach Atlantic University Celebrates Over 700 Graduates at Spring 2026 Commencement

Menu

Menu

The ceremony also included a keynote address from former CIA Agent Michele Rigby Assad.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (May 8, 2026) - Over 2,000 family and friends gathered across three ceremonies on Friday, May 8, to celebrate 750 students who completed their studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA). 

PBA alumna and former undercover CIA officer Michele Rigby Assad served as keynote speaker for all three ceremonies. She encouraged the new grads with insights on how to live successfully no matter where life takes them from here.

During her keynote address, Rigby Assad encouraged the graduates to remember three key things:

  1. To be curious about the world.
  2. To be willing to do hard things.
  3. To trust God no matter what.

Rigby Assad, married to Joseph Assad, another PBA alumnus who also worked with the CIA, shared her personal journey from PBA to the CIA. She highlighted that unclear or unconventional paths can still have meaningful purpose and challenged graduates not to fear hard places or avoid uncomfortable growth, noting that the most formative lessons often happen "in the trenches." Most of all, she urged them to carry an active, resilient faith into every part of life, believing that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when their faith is greater than their fear.

"The hard thing you're avoiding, that might be exactly where God is calling you," said Rigby Assad. She continued, "Don't be so anxious about the destination that you miss your own development. The end goal will materialize when it's supposed to. Your job right now is to become someone worth using. The world you are walking into is complex and constantly changing. My hope for you is not that it will be easy, but that it will be meaningful."

Rigby Assad, who specialized in counterterrorism and served for 10 years in the Middle East now uses her expertise to aid in relief efforts for persecuted Christians. In 2026, she was awarded the PBA Women of Distinction Humanitarian Award. She's also an accomplished author, and her experiences inform her ability to deal with the most challenging people, which are highlighted in her bestselling memoir, "Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What it Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For." Her second book, "Get Off the X: CIA Secrets for Conquering Obstacles and Achieving Your Life's Mission," encourages readers to move beyond fear and comfort zones to take decisive action in pursuit of their purpose.

PBA's Class of 2026 includes 10 active-duty members and two ROTC members. Over 500 graduates have earned bachelor's degrees across various disciplines; over 200 students have earned master's and doctoral degrees. Among the graduates are the initial cohort of students completing a major in entrepreneurship and franchising and the first three students to complete a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, and a Bachelor of Science in Business and Law, respectively.

The top five programs represented this year are nursing (69 students), clinical mental health counseling (59 students), MBA (49 students), business administration (42 students), and marketing (38 students).

For more information about this year's Outstanding Graduates, click here.

Palm Beach Atlantic University Inc. published this content on May 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 08, 2026 at 22:07 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]