It’s graduation time, and colleges and universities are getting ready to celebrate.
Here is a roundup of grad ceremony information from Northeast Ohio schools:
Kent State University Stark campus
The 53rd annual spring commencement ceremonies will be May 9 at the Kent State University at Stark Conference Center, 6000 Frank Ave. NW, Jackson Township.
Ceremonies will be at 11 a.m. for associate degrees, College of Applied and Technical Studies, College of Arts and Sciences and College of the Arts.
A ceremony will be at 3 p.m. for graduates of the Ambassador Crawford College of Business & Entrepreneurship, the College of Communication and Information, College of Education, Health and Human Services and the College of Nursing.
Tickets are required. Ages 2 and older must have a ticket.
For more information about graduation events, visit https://www.kent.edu/stark/commencement-ceremony.
Kent State University
Commencement ceremonies will be held May 7-9 on the main campus in the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, 1025 Risman Drive, Kent.
The College of Podiatric Medicine ceremony will be at 1 p.m. May 15 in Cartwright Hall.
Commencement schedule:
All guests, including children 2 and older, must have a ticket to enter the ceremony venue. Seating is general admission.
The ceremonies will be available via livestream. For more information, visit https://www.kent.edu/commencement/guest.
Malone University
Malone University alumnus, psychiatrist and author Curt Thompson will be the keynote speaker for the 134th commencement on May 9 at the Johnson Center, 2600 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton.
A commencement ceremony will be 10 a.m. for social and behavioral sciences and nature and health sciences graduates. Another ceremony will be at 2 p.m. for business and technologies and humanities, education and ministry students.
The university will confer an honorary doctorate to Thompson, a graduate of Malone University and Wright State University School of Medicine, in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to the fields of psychiatry, neurobiology, and Christian spiritual formation.
Thompson is the founder of The Center for Being Known, an organization that explores the intersection of interpersonal neurobiology and Christian faith.
The ceremonies are closed to the public.
The public is invited to a pre-commencement book talk and presentation on Thompson’s newest release, “The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope” at 5 p.m. May 8 at the Brehme Conference Center.
He will discuss the neuroscience of suffering and how attachment to God and community can transform grief into lasting peace. A book signing will follow the presentation.
Stark State College
Stark State College will hold its 2026 commencement ceremony at 2 p.m. May 17 at the Canton Memorial Civic Center, 1101 Market Ave. N, Canton.
Para M. Jones, president of Stark State College who is set to retire next year, will be this year’s commencement speaker.
Tickets are not required. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Friends and family unable to attend are invited to watch a livestream on the college’s YouTube channel.
University of Akron
The University of Akron will hold spring ceremonies May 8 and 9 at the James A. Rhodes Arena, 373 Carroll St., Akron.
A ceremony will be at 6 p.m. May 8 for graduates of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences.
Three ceremonies will take place May 9: at 9 a.m. for the College of Engineering and Polymer Science and ROTC Commissioning; 1 p.m. for College of Health and Human Sciences and 5 p.m. for the College of Business.
Free parking is available for guests in the following parking lots: East Campus parking deck, Lot 10 along Spicer Street, and Lot 14 and Lot 15, both along Buchtel Avenue. Handicap accessible parking is available at Lot 2 (limited spaces) and Lot 8.
Livestream is available during ceremonies. All ceremony recordings will be archived after the event.
University of Mount Union
Baccalaureate will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 8 at Dewald Chapel on the campus of Mount Union, 1972 Clark Ave., Alliance.
Commencement ceremonies will be May 9. The graduate commencement will be at 10 a.m. at Peterson Field House. Ceremony for undergraduates begins at 1:30 p.m.
Parking is available across campus in multiple lots. Handicap accessible parking is at the Fulling Training Center lot located west of Kehres Stadium. Golf cart shuttles will assist guests from the following lots: Beeghly Hall, Hoover-Price Campus Center, Shields Residence Hall, Rockhill/States Street, Hoiles-Peterson Residence Hall/Bracy Hall and Gulling Training Center.
Commencement information can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2y5zke34. There is no formal external speaker, and ticket questions can be directed to alumni@mountunion.edu.
All ceremonies will be livestreamed on the commencement webpage.
Walsh University
Walsh University will celebrate its commencement ceremonies May 2, celebrating nearly 600 graduates at the Gaetano M. Cecchini Family Health and Wellness Complex on the campus, 2020 E. Maple St., North Canton.
The morning ceremony is for the College of Health Sciences, including the Gary and Linda Byers School of Nursing and the School of Behavioral and Health Sciences. Doors open at 7 a.m. Commencement processional begins at 8:30 a.m.
A Baccalaureate Mass will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel.
The afternoon ceremony for graduates of the DeVille School of Business and School of Arts, Sciences, and Education begins at 2:45 p.m. at the Cecchini Center. Doors open at 1:15 p.m.
Nationally recognized Catholic evangelist, author and media host Chris Stefanick will serve as the commencement speaker and receive an honorary doctorate of applied theology.
Walsh will also confer an honorary doctorate to Michael E. White, a nationally recognized defense technologist and former principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
This honorary degree recognizes White’s lifetime of leadership in advancing hypersonic technologies and missile defense systems, reflecting a career spanning decades of innovation and national service. White previously served as the keynote speaker for Walsh’s 2025 Science and Business Innovation Summit.
The Distinguished Service Medal will be presented to state Rep. Scott Oelslager, R-North Canton, who has served Stark County since 1985.
Michael Dunphy, a Walsh alumnus whose more than four decades of service as professor, researcher, division chair, dean, and vice president helped shape generations of students and guide the university through transformational growth, will also receive the Distinguished Service Medal. Dunphy will be retiring as vice president for academic affairs at the end of June.
Seating is first come, first served. Overflow seating will be on the second floor of Alumni Arena (Room 250 A/B) in the Cecchini Center.
A complete schedule and additional details regarding graduation, including the Toast to the Tassel and Cavs Fest, are available at www.walsh.edu/commencement.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark-area colleges and universities ready for graduation events
Reporting by Amy L. Knapp, Massillon Independent / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
