May Commencement Celebrates Baylor Graduates

Baylor University will celebrate more than 3,100 graduates over four Spring Commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 15-16, in the Ferrell Center on the Baylor campus.

Historic moment for Moody School of Education

A historic highlight will take place during Friday afternoon’s ceremony as the first graduating class of Baylor’s newly renamed Moody School of Education will receive their degrees. The School was renamed Moody School of Education in January in recognition of the Moody Foundation's $30 million gift to the School of Education, the largest single gift in the academic unit’s 107-year history that supports scholarships, expands faculty research and provides resources to grow academic programs. Moody School of Education Dean Shanna Hagan-Burke, Ph.D., will acknowledge the historic moment during her commencement remarks on Friday afternoon.

Thousands of family members and friends are expected to attend the ceremonies in the Ferrell Center, with many more watching the livestream across the country and around the world on Baylor’s official Facebook and YouTube channels, as well as on the University’s virtual events platform.

President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., will preside over the four ceremonies, with Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., and the deans of Baylor’s 12 colleges and schools presenting the candidates for graduation. More than 175 faculty members will serve as marshals and ushers during the commencement ceremonies. In keeping with Baylor commencement tradition, President Livingstone will give the traditional message to the graduates during all four ceremonies.

Friday, May 15, 2026 ceremonies

Baylor’s Friday morning ceremony, which begins at 9:30 a.m., will confer degrees on Great Texts and University Scholars graduates of the Honors College, graduates of the School of Engineering and Computer Science, graduates in the arts disciplines in the College of Arts & Sciences, as well as graduates of all related graduate programs.

The 2:30 p.m. Friday ceremony will confer degrees on graduates of the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, School of Music, *Moody School of Education and all related graduate programs

Saturday, May 16, 2026 ceremonies

Saturday’s 9:30 a.m. ceremony will confer degrees on graduates of the Louise Herrington School of Nursing and in the science disciplines in the College of Arts & Sciences and all related graduate programs.

The afternoon ceremony at 2:30 p.m. will confer degrees on graduates of the Hankamer School of Business and all related graduate programs.

As a preeminent Christian Research 1 university, Baylor’s mission is to educate students for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community. Students are drawn to the University from all 50 states and more than 100 countries for the transformational Baylor experience that combines Christian mission and academic excellence at a midsize university with a vibrant campus life of nearly 400 clubs and organizations and Power 4 athletics.

Baylor provides numerous academic and research opportunities across various disciplines and a high-value experience through 133 baccalaureate programs in fields as varied as business, engineering, pre-medicine, computer science, religion, nursing and music, along with 82 master's programs, 52 doctoral programs (including the Juris Doctor) and the Education Specialist program.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, Baylor students interact with outstanding full-time faculty – who deeply value teaching and mentoring – from their first days on campus through graduation while also pursuing research and scholarship at the highest levels.

Nationally recognized student experience

Nationally, Baylor’s undergraduate experience is highly rated in the 2026 U.S. News’ Best Colleges rankings:

• No. 4 for First-Year Experiences
• No. 9 for Learning Communities
• No. 27 for Best Undergraduate Teaching
• No. 38 for Most Innovative Schools
• No. 40 for Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects

Additional national accolades:

• TIME Magazine's Best College for Future Leaders
• A Fulbright Top Producing Institution as one of the nation’s elite top 10 producers of students and recent alumni earning Fulbright U.S. Student Grants
• Designation of Baylor’s Honors College as a Hidden Gem and an “A” grade for the excellence of Baylor’s core curriculum requirements by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni
• An Honor Roll standout as a Great Colleges to Work For and one of only three universities to earn highest workplace honors in all 10 categories

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.