Brooklyn College celebrated more than 4,100 graduates who crossed the stage at Barclays Center during the 101st Commencement that reflected the institution’s enduring mission of academic excellence, opportunity, resilience, and public service.
Families, friends, staff, faculty, alumni, and distinguished guests gathered to honor the Class of 2026 as the ceremony opened with the traditional academic processional and the presentation of school banners representing the Murray Koppelman School of Business, School of Education, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, and School of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts.
In her remarks to the Class of 2026, President Michelle J. Anderson celebrated the accomplishments and global diversity of the graduating class.
President Michelle J. Anderson
“Today’s graduates come from 93 countries around the world and speak 19 languages,” Anderson said. “On this joyful day, 4,117 students will graduate from Brooklyn College. You made it, and we are all so proud of you.”
Special honorees included three nationally acclaimed leaders in law, civil rights, public policy, and international affairs, underscoring Brooklyn College’s longstanding commitment to preparing graduates not only for professional success, but also for lives of civic engagement, advocacy, and leadership in diverse communities.
Patrick Gaspard
Receiving an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters was Patrick Gaspard, a distinguished senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and former president and CEO, who also held senior roles in President Barack Obama’s administration, including U.S. ambassador to South Africa and director of the White House Office of Political Affairs. He also advised and helped elect New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in his historic campaign. He most recently served as president of the Open Society Foundations, leading global initiatives on civil rights, public health, and democracy, building on a career that began as a union organizer and national political leader. Gaspard was also a guest of the college’s Presidential Lecture Series in 2023.
Melissa Murray
An Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters was also conferred to Melissa Murray, widely known to the Brooklyn College community as the 2024–25 Robert L. Hess Scholar-in-Residence, who also gave the 2023 Samuel J. Konefsky Memorial Lecture at the college. A nationally renowned public intellectual and legal scholar at New York University School of Law, Murray has helped shape contemporary debates on constitutional law, democracy, and reproductive rights, while advancing the public’s understanding of the law’s potential to build a more just and inclusive society.
Cecillia D. Wang
Awarded with a Presidential Medal of Honor was Cecillia D. Wang, the National Legal Director at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), whose work has profoundly shaped the defense of immigrants’ rights in the United States. Over more than two decades at the ACLU, Wang has defended civil rights and civil liberties around the United States, including landmark cases challenging racial discrimination and unlawful policing and detention policies. On April 1 of this year, Wang argued before the United States Supreme Court to uphold birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment.
Together, Gaspard, Murray, and Wang embodied the spirit of a commencement ceremony centered on academic achievement, resilience, and the diverse experiences that define the Brooklyn College community. Their careers demonstrated how education can empower individuals to advocate for others, expand opportunities, and lead with purpose across law, government, international affairs, and public life.
Emersen Bribiesca
A highlight of the ceremony was the valedictory address delivered by computer science major Emersen Bribiesca, who graduated summa cum laude with a perfect 4.00 GPA. In a deeply personal speech that celebrated the spirit of resilience, Bribiesca reflected on how Brooklyn College and his own grit and determination helped him rebuild his future.
Bribiesca shared how his carefully planned future at the United States Military Academy was unexpectedly upended just months before graduation in 2021. With that path suddenly altered, Bribiesca arrived in Brooklyn without a clear plan and took a job at a diner while searching for a new direction. That period of uncertainty ultimately led to him enrolling at Brooklyn College, and more determined than ever to finish what he started.
For Bribiesca, Brooklyn College became a place of renewal, offering evening classes, supportive professors, and a student community that emphasized perseverance and belonging. Through long workdays and late-night classes, he rebuilt both confidence and purpose, just like many of his fellow graduates.
“There are hundreds of different versions of my story in this room,” Bribiesca told the Class of 2026. “Semesters that threw more at you than you’d expected; emergencies that required your undivided attention; work-life balance that felt extremely unbalanced. I don’t know exactly how you got here, but I know that you’re here because when things didn’t go according to plan, you were willing to keep moving forward, to see uncertainty as an opportunity to overcome, to persevere in the face of adversity. Isn’t that the spirit of this school? Nothing without great effort. Our grit will carry us further in life than well-defined plans ever could.”
Emersen Bribiesca, Hideka Minami, and Nariba Cintron
The ceremony also honored a pair of standout salutatorians: Hideka Minami, who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in art, and Nariba Cintron, who earned degrees in psychology and communication sciences and disorders. Both graduates achieved perfect 4.00 GPAs, exemplifying academic excellence and leadership across the Brooklyn College community.
Greetings were also delivered by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams ’01, ’05 M.A. and Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Kim Council. Members of The Board of Trustees of the City University, university leadership, and the Brooklyn College Foundation Board of Trustees were acknowledged during the ceremony, including CUNY Trustee Ken Sunshine, who delivered greetings on behalf of the board. Provost April Bedford acknowledged CUNY Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Denise Maybank, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Ian James, and University Director for Student Life Joseph Awadjie, a Brooklyn College alumnus.
The college also recognized student leadership and academic excellence, including Undergraduate Student Government President Cyle Paul and Graduate Student Organization President Luis Lucero-Tacuri. The ceremony featured a stirring performance of the National Anthem by graduate student Chisom Maduakor of the Conservatory of Music, accompanied by the Brooklyn College Brass Ensemble under the direction of Professor George Rothman.
With cheers, applause, and a shower of confetti, the Class of 2026 exited the arena as graduates ready to shape the future in Brooklyn, New York City, and beyond.
