Hudson Valley Community College’s 72nd Commencement to Celebrate More Than 1,600 Graduates
May 13, 2026
Hudson Valley Community College will hold its 72nd annual commencement exercises with three ceremonies, organized by program of study, in the McDonough Sports Complex on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Graduates will receive individual recognition on stage during each ceremony and hear remarks from Hudson Valley Community College President Michael Brophy, Neil Kelleher, chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin and Student Senate President Caris Kraty.
The commencement schedule is as follows:
- 9 a.m. – School of STEM (all degree and certificate programs)
Remarks by Dean Héctor Rodriguez - 11:30 a.m. – School of Health Sciences (all degree and certificate programs)
Remarks by Dean Patricia Klimkewicz - 2 p.m. – School of Business and Liberal Arts (all degree and certificate programs)
Remarks by Dean Tyler Kessel
The Class of 2026 includes 1,662 graduates who earned associate degrees and certificates across more than 85 programs of study in the Schools of STEM, Health Sciences, and Business and Liberal Arts. Among them, 477 students graduated with honors, and 195 are members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. The class also includes 74 graduates who are veterans or active-duty members of the military.
Graduates range in age from 17 to 66 and come from 46 countries around the globe, though 82% of Hudson Valley’s Class of 2026 reside in the Capital Region.
Exceptional graduates from the Class of 2026 include Katie Gross (School of Business and Liberal Arts) and Larissa McCabe (School of Health Sciences).
Katie Gross (Individual Studies)
Currently completing a full-time internship with the New York State Assembly, Hudson Valley Community College student-athlete Katie Gross is turning personal tragedy into legislative action. After losing her mother to brain cancer, the women’s soccer captain pivoted her studies toward political science and founded a nonprofit to advocate for federal research funding. Katie will graduate debt-free, heading to Hartwick College this fall to continue her journey as a student-athlete and future public servant.
Larissa McCabe (Nursing)
After years of advocating for her son during his courageous battle with childhood cancer, Larissa was inspired by the compassion of his care teams to transition from family advocate to healthcare professional. Now a graduate of the college’s intensive Advanced Nursing program, she is channeling her firsthand experience and clinical training into a career dedicated to supporting patients and families through their own medical journeys.
Additional commencement information, including livestream access, is available at www.hvcc.edu/commencement.