The听hard work听is about to pay off, graduates鈥擟ommencement is right around the corner.听听Vanderbilt University will honor the Class of 2026 and their achievements with a series of events on May 7 and 8.听
Below is a guide to Vanderbilt鈥檚 2026听Commencement events.
Graduates Day featuring Arthur C. Brooks
Thursday, May 7, at 11 a.m. Central time听
Internationally acclaimed scholar, bestselling听author听and happiness researcher Arthur C. Brooks delivers the Graduates Day address to the Class of 2026 on May 7 at 11 a.m. at Memorial Gym. This event will be livestreamed and recorded for those unable to attend. The听Commencement Celebration听will follow the event at the Indoor Practice Facility at the听David听Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center.听
Brooks will receive Vanderbilt University鈥檚 prestigious 鈥�, one of the highest honors at the university. The award is given to individuals who define the 21st century and exemplify the best qualities of the human spirit. It was created and endowed by Vanderbilt Law School graduate Ed Nichols and his wife, Janice, in honor of Edward Carmack and Lucile Hamby Nichols.听
It was also听recently announced that Brooks will join the faculty at Vanderbilt,听serving as an endowed professor in the Department of Medicine, Health and Society in the College of Arts听and听Science beginning July 1.听听听
Vanderbilt will be following its clear bag policy for this event.听
For Graduates Day and the Commencement Celebration event, guests can park at any of the following on-campus garages:听
- Terrace Place Garage (2010 Terrace Place, Nashville, TN听37203)*听
- Wesley Place Garage (1921-2041 Scarritt Place, Nashville, TN听37203)*听
- 25th Avenue Garage (2401 Highland Ave., Nashville, TN 37212)
- West Garage (2400 Children鈥檚 Way, Nashville, TN 37212)听
*A shuttle will run periodically from these garages to Memorial Gym pre-event, then will pick up from Memorial Gym and the听Indoor Practice Facility听after Graduates Day and the Commencement Celebration, returning to these garages.听
There will be signs and maps near each garage with instructions on navigating campus.听
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT CEREMONY听
Friday, May听8, at 9 a.m. Central time
The ceremony will be at 9 a.m. at FirstBank Stadium, 2601 Jess Neely Dr., in Nashville. The ceremony will be livestreamed on the Vanderbilt website.听
Tickets are听required听to attend; the deadline for students to claim guest tickets was April 24.听Graduating students received an email on how to access tickets for their guests on May 1. The event is general admission; there is no assigned seating.听
Vanderbilt will be following听FirstBank Stadium鈥檚听 for this event.听听
Graduates had the option to select one free parking pass when they claimed their guest tickets for the undergraduate ceremony. They should have received the electronic parking pass with their guest tickets.
Graduates:鈥�听
- VandyVans will be available to take undergraduate students to the stadium only. These shuttles will pick up at the intersection of West End Avenue and 21st Avenue beginning at 7:30 a.m.听
Guest Parking:鈥�听
- Students had the听option听to request one parking pass during the ticket claim process.听There will be no shuttles from any campus parking locations to FirstBank Stadium on May 8.鈥� Additional 鈥痠nformation on guest parking听.
Rideshare:鈥�听
- Guests and graduates may use rideshare options to arrive at the stadium. Drop-off and pickup for rideshares will be on 28th Avenue.听
GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENT CEREMONIES听
Friday, May听8, various times and locations听
Graduate and professional students in the Class of 2026 will be honored at ceremonies held by their schools across campus.听
听
Parking is available in the following structures for each ceremony:听
- Peabody Professional Diploma Ceremony*鈥�斺��Terrace Place Garage听
- School of Nursing Ceremony*鈥�斺��Wesley Place Garage听
- Graduate School Commencement*鈥�斺��Terrace Place Garage鈥�听
- Law School Hooding Ceremony鈥�Terrace Place Garage鈥�听
- Divinity School Diploma Ceremony 鈥斺��25th Avenue Garage鈥�(limited mobility rides will be available from here to the ceremony location)鈥�听
- School of Medicine Diploma Ceremony鈥�斺��25th Avenue Garage鈥�(limited mobility rides will be available from here to the ceremony location)鈥赌�听
*A shuttle will run periodically from these garages to the ceremony location before the event, returning to the garages after the ceremony.鈥�鈥�听
OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS听
Accessibility Accommodations
For Graduates Day and Commencement: There will be accessible seating听at both Memorial Gym and FirstBank Stadium. Requests should have been made via the accessibility form emailed to graduates in April. Those who request wheelchairs will be taken to the ADA seating and taken back to the entrance once the event concludes.听
For Graduate and Professional Ceremonies:听Please connect with your respective schools to request any needed accommodations.听
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ID CHECKS听
At any receptions after Commencement ceremonies, graduates and guests will听be required听to show a driver鈥檚 license before being served alcohol. ID check stations will be available at receptions where alcohol may be served.听
SECURITY听
There will be鈥痵ecurity screenings for guests, and a clear bag policy will be enforced. Prohibited items for Graduates Day and undergraduate Commencement include signs, flags and noisemakers.鈥� All university policies for student conduct will be in effect.听
. See the 鈥�鈥痜or more information.听
COMMENCEMENT PROGRAMS听
A digital program will be available on the day of Commencement. The program will include a list of all graduating students, recognition of student awards, and background on the ceremony traditions. Graduates and guests will have the听option听to order, at no cost, a printed program after the ceremony.听
YOUR COMMENCEMENT VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
Have a question about Commencement? The 听virtual assistant听can help.听Open the听site and follow the prompt in the lower right听corner on desktop or听at听the bottom of your听screen听on mobile.听
THE EAGLES AT VANDERBILT
Looking for something fun to do after Commencement? The Eagles 鈥淭he Long Goodbye, Act III鈥� tour comes to FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University on Saturday, May 9.听听
Find all the latest information on celebrations for the Class of 2026听on the Vanderbilt鈥�听
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