Berkeley Engineering celebrates class of 2026
UC Berkeley Engineering celebrated its newest graduates over the course of three ceremonies this week, honoring more than 2,000 bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degree recipients. Graduates were greeted by cheers — and a few tears — as family and friends celebrated this milestone achievement and capstone to their time at Berkeley.
The baccalaureate and master’s degree ceremonies were held on May 18 at the Hearst Greek Theatre, while the Ph.D. degree recipients were hooded on May 21 at Zellerbach Hall.
Newly designated dean Mark Asta, a “triple bear” alum, congratulated graduates and urged them to meet today’s challenges with confidence. “History,” he said, “tasks every generation of engineers with new problems to solve and new lives to uplift.” And, as Berkeley engineers, they are well prepared for this moment.
“Engineers are doers by nature, often called upon to apply our expertise and leadership while forging new paths,” said Asta. “But remember, you are more than just engineers; you are Berkeley engineers. And with that brings a public mission to not only transform the world but to enhance it for the common good.”
This year’s commencement also celebrated the first class of aerospace engineering majors. In his keynote address, NASA astronaut Warren “Woody” Hoburg (M.S.’11, Ph.D.’13 EECS) highlighted this milestone and shared some wisdom about the importance of finding one’s passion and staying focused.
“You will spend your career working on details that most people take for granted,” he said. “They look like miracles, but they’re actually decades of hard work that turned the near-impossible into the ordinary.”
Reflecting on her experience, graduate Anjana Hariprasad (B.S.’26 IEOR) credited Berkeley with fostering a culture that embraces both leadership and collaboration among peers. “Berkeley is about showing people that you’re able to take the lead, take the helm, if you have to,” she said. “But I think Berkeley Engineering is also incredibly humbling; it shows you how to be a team player more than anything else.”
She added, “It’s so exciting to know that these are the people who are going to be making a lot of change once they graduate.”
For Jesse Mendez (B.S.’26 CE), commencement represents more than an academic achievement. “I just feel very proud to say that I graduated from the number one public university [in the country],” he said.
As a new Berkeley alum, Mendez also encouraged engineering students to cherish their time here and to take advantage of the many opportunities for campus involvement.
“I’d just say enjoy it; it goes fast,” he said.