Information for Spring 2026 Graduates

Spring 2026 School of Engineering Convocation
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Ceremony begins at 2:30 p.m.
University Arena (The Pit)

February 2, 2026

Dear School of Engineering Graduate:

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the UNM School of Engineering, I congratulate you on your upcoming graduation. Receiving a degree in engineering or computer science is an especially amazing accomplishment that you and your family should be extremely proud of.

Because graduation is one of those milestone events in students’ lives, walking across a stage to receive a hard-earned degree is an important and emotional ritual. Although it is a time investment, I encourage you to participate in this time-honored tradition, which many graduates and their families cherish for decades to come.

This semester, there are two events to celebrate your commencement, and you are welcome to attend both, along with your family and friends.

The first are The University of New Mexico’s Spring 2026 Commencement Programs, Graduate and Undergraduate, which will take place at the Pit on Friday, May 15, at 6:00pm, and Saturday, May 16th, at 9:00am, respectively. Both commencements will be held in University Arena (better known to you as “The Pit”). UNM President Garnett S. Stokes will preside over the ceremonies, which I expect to be well-attended by faculty, staff, and students, all of whom will be in academic regalia (i.e., cap and gown). At these events, the president will officially confer your degree upon you. To participate, please fill out the student sign-up form at graduation.unm.edu. Other details about Spring 2026 UNM Commencements are also available at this site.

The second event is the School of Engineering Spring 2026 Convocation. This will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. at The Pit. The Convocation is a special ceremony held by the School of Engineering to celebrate you, with your family and friends in attendance. The highlight of this event is the individual, on-stage recognition of each SoE graduate, in which they are congratulated by their department faculty and staff, their dean, and the Convocation’s honored guests. Graduate students are met on the stage by their faculty thesis/dissertation advisor for the traditional “hooding” ceremony. If you plan to attend the School of Engineering Convocation, please report to the Pit between 1:30 and 2:05 p.m. in order to receive your data information card and line up for the graduate procession.

Although cap and gown is the appropriate dress for graduates, “civilian” dress is also acceptable. Caps and gowns can be obtained from the UNM Bookstore. If you wish to send formal announcements to your family and friends, you can purchase them at the bookstore as well. The UNM Bookstore has a graduation Fair, and I encourage you to attend to shop for your regalia, announcements, diploma frames, on-site graduation portraits, special offers and more.

Wheelchair access at the Pit is available for graduates and guests. If you need special accommodation, please contact Rebecca Colón at rcolon@unm.edu by Friday, April 24, 2026.

I strongly encourage you to stay in touch with our School, your former professors, and fellow Lobos and to keep us informed on the numerous future achievements in your careers. We will always take extraordinary pride in your accomplishments.

On behalf of the School of Engineering faculty and staff, I congratulate you once more and I hope to see you at one of the UNM Spring 2026 Commencement Programs and the School of Engineering Spring 2026 Convocation.

Sincerely,
Donna Riley
Jim and Ellen King Dean of Engineering and Computing