For the class of 2026, the University’s commencement ceremony will be looking a bit different than the usual graduation weekend.
Due to the 2026 PGA Championship being hosted at the nearby Aronimink Golf Club, the ceremonies will take place early that week of May. The Baccalaureate Mass and Bachelor’s Degree Commencement and Recognition Ceremony are now scheduled to take place on Tuesday, May 19. That Wednesday, both the Master’s and Doctoral Degree Commencement and Recognition Ceremony, along with the Charles Widger School of Law Commencement Ceremony, will be taking place.
These weekday dates are incredibly atypical for the University, who historically host the ceremonies on Fridays and Saturdays.
In a statement to the class of 2026, the University reported that the event is “expected to bring more than 200,000 people to this area,” and that it was moving the date in effort to “ensure that our graduates and guests could secure hotel accommodations and reservations.”
Though this decision was done in part to ensure space within the area for family and guests, some students mentioned the difficulty this alteration presents in the quest for securing a hotel. Likewise, the issue of taking time off of work also serves as an immense issue for some.
“It’s turned into a difficult situation,” class of 2026 member Sarah Conn shared. “If it’s on a weekend, my parents don’t have to take off any time for work. But now, they have to make arrangements for that week, and scramble to find a hotel.”
Conn also highlighted the time necessary and the difficulties surrounding getting to campus in the first place, and how it’s not only the date of commencement that matters.
Other students echoed these grievances that accompany the unprecedented interruption. Mostly, the idea of travelling on weekdays stuck out as a complicated factor in the already stressful time that is graduation season.
Because there are only so many free hotel rooms during events like graduation and parents weekend, this decision means families and guests must make their travel arrangements as soon as possible, which poses a grievance to some. Comparingly, finding places to stay alongside the masses of visiting golf fans also presents a problem.
Additionally, the various traditional graduation celebrations may not be possible for some students during the weekdays. Likewise, families who can’t hang around campus as long as they might be able to on a weekend for Commencement may be unable to take part in the festivities to accommodate for travel and work arrangements.
For many, the idea of sharing the area with nearly 200,000 golf fans was even less appealing, and they believe the change may provide certain inconveniences, but ultimately serves as the better alternative.
“The area is already pretty small, so it being intensely crowded all graduation weekend is also not ideal,” Conn said.
While the decision is undoubtedly atypical, student opinion stands relatively mixed on the topic of weekday graduation. If students or guests have any concerns, the Villanova Commencement Committee asks that they reach out to it.
