Over the course of commencement week, graduates across Emory University and Goizueta Business School gathered with family, friends, faculty, and classmates to celebrate the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of a new chapter.
From intimate program celebrations on campus to large-scale diploma ceremonies at Gas South Arena, the Class of 2026 marked the occasion with reflection, gratitude, and excitement for what lies ahead. Graduates waved to family members from the crowd, posed for celebratory photos with classmates, and crossed the stage to enthusiastic cheers from loved ones and faculty supporters. The week also marked John H. Harland Dean Gareth James’ final commencement ceremonies at Goizueta, adding an especially meaningful note to the celebrations.
“Today is a celebration—but it’s also a little bittersweet,” James shared during the undergraduate Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program’s diploma ceremony. “This is your final day as Goizueta students. You have spent four amazing years on this beautiful campus, expanding your mind, making lifelong friends, and engaging in a few other activities that I promised not to mention in front of your parents!”
Celebrating Goizueta’s Graduate Programs
Commencement festivities for Goizueta’s graduate programs began Thursday evening with the Evening MBA program’s diploma ceremony and continued throughout the weekend with celebrations honoring graduates from the MS in Business Analytics, Master in Management, Master in Business for Veterans, Executive MBA, Full-Time MBA, and Master of Finance programs.
The celebrations culminated Sunday afternoon at the all-master’s diploma ceremony at Gas South Arena, where graduates from across Goizueta’s full-time master’s programs crossed the stage in front of family, friends, faculty, and fellow students.
Addressing graduates during the ceremony, James reflected on the importance of embracing opportunity and taking risks, even when the path forward feels uncertain.
“For many of us, life already feels risky enough, without deliberately tipping the scale further in that direction,” James said. “But I can tell you from personal experience that all my biggest successes have come from taking risks, many of which didn’t necessarily appear logical at the time.”
James reflected on pivotal moments throughout his own career journey, including leaving his native New Zealand to pursue graduate school in the United States, serving as interim dean during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ultimately relocating across the country to lead Goizueta Business School.
“But just as importantly, when I reflect on the path I’ve taken, my biggest regrets are not the things that didn’t work out,” James told graduates. “They’re the opportunities I didn’t take. The ones I talked myself out of. The moments where I chose comfort over curiosity.”
He encouraged graduates to remain open to experiences that push them beyond their comfort zones.
“Pay attention to the opportunities that make you slightly uncomfortable,” James said. “Those are often the ones that matter most.”
The ceremony recognized graduates from the Master in Management, Master of Finance, MS in Business Analytics, and Full-Time MBA programs, including dual-degree students and members of the BBA/MS in Business Analytics cohort. Faculty leaders highlighted the programs’ emphasis on experiential learning, analytical rigor, leadership development, and innovation in an increasingly AI-enabled business landscape.
Closing the ceremony, James reminded graduates that commencement marks not an ending, but the beginning of their lifelong connection to the school and one another.
“You are now part of the Goizueta alumni community,” he said. “You are the reflection of this school in the world. Your integrity, your leadership, your decisions—they shape what Goizueta stands for far beyond this campus.”
Undergraduate Celebrations Honor the BBA Class of 2026
Undergraduate commencement festivities began Saturday with the BBA program’s honors & awards celebration before continuing Monday with Emory University’s undergraduate commencement ceremony and Goizueta’s undergraduate BBA diploma ceremony at Gas South Arena.
the undergraduate BBA program at Glenn Auditorium
The diploma ceremony recognized graduates from the BBA, BBA/MS in Business Analytics, and BBA/Master of Accounting programs as students crossed the stage surrounded by cheering classmates, faculty, and loved ones.
During his remarks, James praised the Class of 2026 for the resilience and determination required to earn a Goizueta degree.
“Our programs are selective, our standards are high, and the path to this moment has required resilience, determination, and grit,” James said. “As you leave here today, you join a global community of Goizueta alumni. You carry the reputation of this school with you—and I have every confidence that you will represent it with integrity, leadership, and purpose.”
The ceremony also featured Goizueta’s annual legacy pinning tradition, during which alumni parents, grandparents, and siblings joined graduating students to symbolically welcome them into the Emory alumni community.
James concluded by encouraging graduates to continue embracing opportunity and uncertainty as they move into the next phase of their lives and careers.
“Wherever your path takes you next, know that Goizueta will always be here for you—to support you, to celebrate you, and to welcome you back,” James said. “We can’t wait to see what you do next.”
University Commencement Celebrates the Class of 2026
During Emory’s university-wide commencement ceremony Monday morning, graduates and guests gathered at Gas South Arena to celebrate the achievements of the undergraduate Class of 2026.
Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, delivered the keynote address and received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree in recognition of his contributions to business and society.
Throughout his remarks, Bastian emphasized the importance of leadership, community, and character in navigating an increasingly uncertain world. Reflecting on his nearly three decades with Delta, he encouraged graduates to lead with values and prioritize the people around them.
“Over the past 100 years at Delta, through clear skies and turbulent times, we’ve learned something fundamental,” Bastian said. “When you lead with values, when you always put your people first, success follows. That’s also at the core of what Emory University represents.”
Bastian also challenged graduates to embrace uncertainty as an opportunity for leadership and growth.
“You are stepping into a world that needs your energy, compassion, and creativity,” he said. “Our world is ready to be led by those who don’t run from their fears but lead through them. It’s in times like this, at critical junctures, that great leaders emerge. This is your time.”
The university also awarded honorary doctor of humane letters degrees to Ruth J. Simmons and Susan E. Stone and recognized Emory researchers Dennis Liotta, Raymond Schinazi, and Woo-Baeg Choi with the President’s Medal for their groundbreaking work developing antiviral treatments for HIV.
As commencement celebrations came to a close, graduates across Goizueta’s programs left with new degrees, expanded networks, and a lasting connection to the broader Emory and Goizueta communities.
“As you leave here today, celebrate this moment,” James told graduates during Sunday’s ceremony. “But then—lean forward. Take the opportunity. Take the risk. Especially when it feels uncomfortable. Because those are the moments that shape everything that follows.”
For more Emory Commencement stories, updates, photos and videos, and celebration details, visit commencement.emory.edu.
