Thousands of students will be honored in today's 270th Commencement ceremony, with more than 9,000 eligible to graduate.
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May 18, 2026
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At today’s 270th Commencement ceremony, more than 9,000 students are eligible to participate, with degrees being conferred across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs to May 2026 and Summer and December 2025 grads. In all, the Class of 2026 reflects Penn’s academic excellence, global reach, and commitment to leadership and community impact.
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On Saturday, May 16, the annual Ivy Day Ceremony—dating to 1873—honored remarkable graduating fourth-years for their leadership and service to the Penn community. One category, the Senior Honor Awards, features prizes rooted in University tradition, such as the Bowl, Spade, Cane, and Spoon.
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Twenty-eight Penn affiliates have been offered Fulbright awards for the 2026-27 academic year to conduct research, pursue graduate degrees, or teach English overseas. The Fulbright, the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, consistently recognizes Penn as a top-producing institution.
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![“Upon the Report of the Examiners, the following candidates approved of as qualified by their standing and proficiency to be admitted to the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, are James Abercrombie, John Leeds Bos[z]man, John Clopton, William Cock[e], Thomas Duncan Smith, William Thomas, and Ralph Wiltshire; and a mandate was ordered to be made out for conferring on them their Degree of Bachelor of Arts on the 10th of June next.” (Image: Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Minute Books, volume 2, 1768-1779; University Archives)](https://asset.emaillove.com/d13f50c8e9196535fb19646005059568.jpg)
In June 1776, amid rising tensions and calls for independence in Philadelphia, seven graduates of the College—later to be known as the University of Pennsylvania—received their degrees in a private ceremony. Trustees of the College give a glimpse into that moment, describing the “unsettled state of affairs” as decisive in their decision to limit attendance. On June 10, the Provost conferred the Degree of Bachelor of Arts upon the graduates.
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“There’s no doubt that peptides are important, but it's not news. We’ve known about insulin, for example, for 106 years,” says PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel of the Perelman School of Medicine and Wharton School.
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MAY 18 - DEC. 18
Participants are invited to this Common Press workshop to print a copy of the Declaration of Independence. The composition will be set in Caslon metal type and ready to print on the studio’s 1889 cast-iron handpress. These hour-long demonstrations are part of America 250 at Penn programming. Groups of up to 20 people are welcome. Reserve a time slot.
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