VCU’s May 2026 commencement by the numbers

By Elinor Frisa

Thousands of Virginia Commonwealth University students will celebrate one of life’s biggest milestones when they graduate this weekend, with the main commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Thousands more family and friends will be cheering them on, either in person or from afar. The number of smiles and even tears is too high to count, but here’s a look at some of the quantifiable numbers that make commencement a special time for the VCU community.

5,118 

… students are graduating this spring, earning 5,340 degrees and certificates. That includes 3,299 baccalaureate degrees, 1,000 master’s, 296 Ph.D.s, 336 first-professional degrees (e.g., M.D.) and 187 certificates.

19 and 65

The ages, in years, of this year’s youngest and oldest graduates.

1,221

… first-generation students, for whom VCU commencement is major milestone as they become the first in their families to graduate from college.

Top 5

… majors for undergraduates crossing the finish line this spring are:

• psychology
• biology
• computer science
• nursing
• communication arts

238

… international graduates come from all over the world, representing 41 countries. And while most grads hail from Virginia, out-of-staters represent 35 states, including Washington, D.C.

1

… student will be honored with a VCU Board of Visitors Award during commencement. Sameen Hossain is a rising junior and Honors College student majoring in bioinformatics. After losing her father, an ENT surgeon, to lung cancer when she was a child, she resolved to continue his commitment to serving others and supporting patients and families as they navigate experiences like the one her family went through. Among her accomplishments so far at VCU, Hossain has contributed to cancer research in the lab of Katarzyna M. Tyc, Ph.D.; presented at conferences; volunteered at Ram Pantry; helped found the VCU chapter of Always Improving Minds, a student organization dedicated to supporting the special needs community; aided her fellow students as a Supplemental Instruction Leader; and worked with patients as a volunteer at several VCU Health units.   

4,500

… helium-filled black and gold balloons will add to the festivities. It takes four volunteers to drop the balloons from the ceiling at the end of the ceremony.

34

… VCU Band members will regale the crowd with classic commencement music. Fortune Picker, a sophomore who has performed with VCU Opera, will sing the national anthem.

468

… feet of VCU gold carpet, surrounded by 10,325 chairs for graduates, faculty, families and friends to sit on. Guided by 18 faculty marshals, more than 1,200 graduates are expected to walk down the carpet.

30+

… department, school and college-level commencement ceremonies also take place throughout graduation weekend, in addition to Saturday morning’s universitywide event. The unit-level celebrations take place at various venues on campus as well as nearby spaces such as Altria Theater.

77

… degrees and sunny, if the forecast holds. The crowd at the Greater Richmond Convention Center should exit into warm spring weather. The high on last year’s May commencement day was 73, up a bit from 69 in 2024. Rain or shine, it will be a day to remember for graduates and their families.

Editor’s note: Data accurate as of May 4. Photos by VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications unless otherwise noted.