Despite the steady rain and chilly temperature, Blue Hen pride was overflowing at Delaware Stadium as UD celebrated its newest class of graduates. With an enthusiastic crowd of about 20,000 in the stands, on the field and in the comfort of the Bob Carpenter Center, UD President Laura Carlson reminded graduates what it means to be a Blue Hen.

“Being a Blue Hen matters. It signals dedication to excellence, dedication to community, dedication to service above self,” she said. “Being a Blue Hen is your magic — your special sauce — the thing that you can lean back into when you leave here, when you face challenges, when you question your place in the world, when you question the world and when you are bored.”

Carlson told graduates to embrace moments of boredom — both big and small — to connect with themselves and reaffirm their hopes, dreams and passions.

“I challenge you — don’t pull out your cell phone at the first moment of quiet to distract yourself by checking out someone else’s life on Instagram,” she said. “Claim that for yourself and your own life and your own passions. Check in on you.”

Like many of this year’s graduating class, UD President Laura Carlson came to UD in the fall of 2022, and the Twilight Induction Ceremony that welcomed the Class of 2026 was also the ceremony that welcomed her.

She encouraged the graduates to try to remember who they were as first-year students and then think about who they are today.

“Would your younger self recognize you?” she asked the graduates. “That is what college does, in its very best incarnation. It expands your sense of who you are.”

After receiving an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, Commencement speaker Mariah Calagione, co-founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and past UD trustee, encouraged graduates to get engaged in their communities, find connections with people from different backgrounds and learn from each other’s differences.

“There’s so much good karma that comes back from giving to the communities that nourish you,” she said. “Our world needs you to be an engaged and active community member — in all of your communities.”

Calagione told students to get involved and make the most of every opportunity. 

“Our world has enough people sitting on the sidelines,” she said. “Here’s my incentive, and yours too. When you are out there engaging with the world, not sitting on the sidelines … your chances of finding people who might share a thread of connection, but likely have different life experiences than you, are much stronger than if you stay inside your own circle.”

During the ceremony, four individuals were recognized with honorary degrees. The honorary degree, the University’s highest accolade, is reserved for individuals who reflect, in their personal and professional achievements, the University’s mission and who serve as exemplars for UD’s students, alumni, the University community and the world.

The group of honorees, approved by the Board of Trustees at its spring meeting, included Calagione; Joseph August Pika III, UD professor emeritus and civic leader; Deborah Willis, photographic historian and artist; and Kenneth Whitney, alumnus, business leader and philanthropist.

Saturday’s ceremony was the largest of several graduation events on campus this week, including UD college convocations and the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, all designed to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2026.

Some 6,657 graduates earned degrees. Among them were Mikul Duggal, who earned this year’s highest grade-point index; Ellery Bergman Chudnow and Nivedita Prabhu, the recipients of the Warner and Taylor Awards for outstanding seniors; and Antonia Vázquez, the youngest bachelor’s degree recipient. Graduates spanned in age from 18 to 78 and hailed from 44 states and territories and 44 countries.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, alumna Amy Levitz Grundy, president of the University of Delaware Alumni Association, congratulated the graduates on joining the more than 217,000 Blue Hen alumni around the world and encouraged them to wear the Blue Hen pin they received with pride.

Marissa Lee, a music education major, said she’s proud of herself and her classmates for all they accomplished during their time at UD.

“It took a lot of perseverance, patience and a very big support system to get to this moment,” she said. “A lot of hard work and time went into the past four years, and I’m really proud of where everyone is heading.”

Arax Benlian, an international business studies major, said it felt bittersweet to be graduating. While he feels accomplished and happy to move on, he’s made lasting memories and friendships on campus and has grown over the past four years. Through it all, he learned to embrace the moment.

“For me, college has had such a focus on the future, which is important,” he said. “But on the other hand, I’ve learned to enjoy the moment while you’re in it — not to be so fixated on the future to a degree where you lose yourself in the present.”

Ian Baynard, a game studies and esports management graduate, said what he’ll miss most about UD is the community.

“Being able to go outside and see a bunch of hungry students was an inspiration to me — you know, if they can do it, I can do it,” he said.

Calagione raised an imaginary glass (perhaps a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA) to the Class of 2026.

“I congratulate you on a job well done and share a hearty hoist to the amazing journeys you are about to embark on,” she said. “Cheers!”

For more information and coverage of UD’s Commencement and convocation ceremonies, visit udel.edu/commencement.