Clark University will hold its 2026 Commencement ceremonies on Monday, May 18, at the DCU Center in Downtown Worcester, according to the university.
Two ceremonies are scheduled. Bachelor’s degrees will be awarded at 10 a.m., with doors opening at 8:30 a.m. and the processional beginning at 9:45 a.m., while master’s and doctoral degrees will be presented at 2:30 p.m., with doors opening at 1:00 p.m. and the processional beginning at 2:15 p.m.
Clark University said Dr. Wendy L. Freedman, an astrophysicist known for her work in modern cosmology, will speak at the bachelor’s degree ceremony. Freedman is the John and Marion Sullivan University Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago and is widely known for her leadership of the Hubble Space Telescope Key Project, which produced precise measurements of the Hubble constant, according to Clark. She will be presented for the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.
The university said Sir Andrew Steer, a climate and environmental economics leader, will speak at the master’s and doctoral degree ceremony. Steer currently serves as Professor of Practice in Environmental Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he is also chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, according to Clark. He will be presented for the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
Clark President David Fithian said the honorees reflect the role of higher education in advancing knowledge and public responsibility.
“In addition to celebrating our graduates, we will award honorary degrees to two extraordinary individuals whose lives and work exemplify the very best of what higher education can advance: a globally influential leader in climate change, sustainable development, and environmental economics, and a pioneering astrophysicist whose discoveries have reshaped modern understanding of the universe,” Fithian said in the announcement.
For Worcester, the commencement will bring graduates, families, faculty, and guests into Downtown Worcester for a major higher education event. Clark University, founded in 1887, is one of Worcester’s longstanding higher education institutions and offers 33 undergraduate majors and more than 30 advanced degree programs, according to the university.
Additional public attendance, ticketing, traffic, and guest information were not included in the announcement.
🔍 The W.U.W. Verification Box
- Project / Topic: Clark University 2026 Commencement
- Current Status: Commencement scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2026
- Key Dates or Decisions: Bachelor’s ceremony at 10 a.m.; master’s and doctoral ceremony at 2:30 p.m.
- Estimated Cost (if applicable): Not yet determined
- Timeline (if known): One-day commencement event on May 18, 2026
- Immediate Next Steps: Clark University will hold commencement ceremonies at the DCU Center
- Primary Sources: Clark University announcement
- What We Do Not Yet Know: Public attendance details, ticketing information, parking or traffic guidance, and full ceremony logistics
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