University of Puget Sound will honor its graduates on Sunday, May 10, at 2 p.m. at the 134th Commencement Ceremony. The ceremony at Baker Stadium will celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2026, including both undergraduates and students completing one of Puget Sound’s five graduate programs.
Tickets are required to attend the Commencement Ceremony, but a livestream of the event will be available at pugetsound.edu/commencement.
Commencement Student Speakers
This year’s graduate student speaker is Rovin Ian Antonio ’23, DPT ’26. His speech is titled “Grounded: Choosing How We Show Up, Ready for What's Next."
Antonio, originally from Bulacan, Philippines, is graduating with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. An army veteran and Puget Sound alumnus, Antonio has been a steadfast and consistent leader within his cohort, known for his calm presence, professionalism, and commitment to fostering an inclusive community.
He served as co-president of the Student Physical Therapy Association and coordinated the Fall 2025 Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Job Fair, connecting more than 100 students with employers and strengthening community partnerships.
Antonio participated in faculty-mentored research, which he presented at the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting. He was also selected to travel to Guatemala to deliver physical therapy care in an under-resourced region through the Global Health elective.
This year’s undergraduate student speaker is Isabel Magdalen Fitzgibbons ’26. Her speech is titled “Into Confusion: On Nobility, Curiosity, and Uncertainty in the Life of the Graduating College Student.”
Fitzgibbons, who is originally from Gresham, Oregon, is graduating with a Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts. Her contributions to the Theatre Department and University Chaplaincy set her apart as an exemplary scholar and artist.
Building on previous conservatory-style education and a liberal arts approach, Fitzgibbons was awarded the Agricola Scholar Endowed Fund in the summer of 2025 to develop an original one-woman show entitled Every Sound I’ve Ever Made. The piece wove together original writing and verse work from a range of women writers.
Commencement Address and Honorary Degree Recipients
Ellen Ferguson ’72 will deliver the keynote address and receive an honorary degree. Ferguson is a museum professional, community servant, and philanthropist.
Attending Puget Sound during the height of the Vietnam War ignited in Ferguson a passion for social justice and a lifelong commitment to activism. For 50 years, Ferguson has served the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, including as Director of Community Relations and co-chair of the Campaign for the New Burke.
Ferguson is also a philanthropist, serving as trustee of the Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation, which she co-founded with her parents in 1987 and which donates over $1 million annually to nonprofits dedicated to environmental conservation and the preservation of the Pacific Northwest’s rich cultural heritage.
Ferguson founded the Ellen Ferguson Scholarship and was a founding donor for the university’s LGBT Leadership Fund. In 2023, Ferguson made a landmark $2 million gift to support the launch of the Puget Sound Memory Project, which aims to examine the ways the university has been intertwined with the region’s complicated history.
The university will also confer an honorary degree on Trustee Emeritus William “Bill” Weyerhaeuser. Weyerhaeuser earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary. For more than 40 years, from 1978 to 2024, Weyerhaeuser served on the Board of Trustees at the University of Puget Sound, including serving as chair from 1993 to 2003.
The William T. and Gail T. Weyerhaeuser Center for Health Science, named in honor of the Weyerhaeusers’ service to Puget Sound, opened in 2011, providing a cutting-edge facility for the study of occupational and physical therapy, exercise science, psychology, and neuroscience. Additionally, the William T. Weyerhaeuser Scholarship has been helping students pursue a Puget Sound education for more than 20 years.
Academic Convocation
Among the events and celebrations taking place during Commencement Weekend is Academic Convocation, a celebration of student achievement. This year’s Convocation will be Saturday, May 9, at 2 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall. Awards range from accolades for research, creative work, academics, and service to a department or program.
Mercer Stauch ’26, of Niwot, Colorado, will be the student Convocation Speaker. His address is titled, “The World’s Problems are Interdisciplinary.” Stauch is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in International Political Economy and a Bachelor of Science in Economics. As a first-year student, he was named a Matelich Scholar, recognized for exceptional motivation, academic promise, integrity, and leadership potential. Stauch has served as a tutor at the Center for Writing and Learning and earned an Emerging Scholar Award at a conference for presenting his exploration of the CWL’s impact on student success and wellbeing.
The faculty Convocation Speaker will be Professor Daniel Sherman. He will deliver his address on the question, “What’s Next?” Sherman is a professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences and Director of the Sound Policy Institute. He works at the nexus of science and policy with research on radioactive and hazardous waste disposal. His textbook, Environmental Science and Sustainability, has been adopted by more than 250 colleges and universities.
Students, family members, and friends are welcome to attend Convocation to support the achievements of their peers.
To learn more about Commencement and all the weekend’s activities, including a full list of events and receptions, visit pugetsound.edu/commencement.
