Over five May Commencement ceremonies, some 2,900 members of the Class of 2026 celebrated the completion of their degrees and the next step in their journey.
“I speak for everyone at Thomas Jefferson University when I say that it has been our honor to help you in the pursuit of your goals and your dreams,” University President Dr. Susan Aldridge told Jefferson’s newest alumni. “Today, you represent our greatest achievement.”
Jefferson grads stand poised to conquer the world’s most pressing issues in the current “innovation economy,” which is fueled by the rapid development and deployment of new ideas, technologies and business models, she says.
Employers will continue to pursue workers with both breadth and depth of knowledge in their respective fields, Dr. Aldridge says. However, they also seek individuals who possess highly marketable attributes centered on creativity, conscientiousness, collaboration and curiosity—traits Jefferson students honed through their education.
Jefferson Honors the Class of 2026 at Commencement
Nearly 2,900 graduates begin the next step on their journey.
“Today, you represent our greatest achievement,” University President Dr. Susan Aldridge told Jefferson’s newest alumni.
“You leave us today with the joy that comes with knowing that you have embraced each twist and turn with tremendous resolve and enthusiasm, making new friends, learning new ways of thinking, and cultivating new interests and broader horizons that you will undoubtedly carry with you out into the world,” she says.
One such graduate—Emily Luckenbach—savored every moment in the bachelor of landscape architecture program. The field combines her love of art, nature and environmental science. For her senior capstone, she partnered with an area school for neurodiverse students to design a restorative exploration trail.
“I had four years of pushing my passion forward,” says Luckenbach, who will work as a graduate landscape architect at Pennoni. “I’m really proud of where I am, and I’m excited to graduate.”
Jefferson CEO Dr. Joe Cacchione congratulated the Class of 2026 on becoming part of the University’s distinguished alumni community—now over 80,000 strong.
“I look forward to seeing how you will apply what you’ve learned here—your skills, creativity and sense of purpose—to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead and to help shape what comes next,” he says, urging graduates to let Jefferson’s core values inform their choices and leadership.
“Carry the people who built you,” Student Government Association President Paris Schell urged her fellow graduates. “Carry the lessons that shaped you. Carry the love that never left you.”
“Our mission to improve lives is grounded in putting people first, doing what’s right and pursuing excellence in all that we do,” he says. “By carrying these values with you—and pairing them with the knowledge and experiences you’ve gained here—I am confident you will chart meaningful paths and make a lasting difference in the communities you serve.”
Pre-medical studies graduate Nikki Dedes will continue her journey at Jefferson, starting at Sidney Kimmel Medical College this summer. She has wanted to be a physician for as long as she can remember.
Dedes excelled both in and out of the classroom. Along with earning numerous personal accolades on the women’s soccer team, she helped propel the Rams to a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship and back-to-back NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.
“I couldn’t say enough good things about Jefferson—the faculty, the staff, my classmates and teammates,” says Dedes, who hopes to pursue a career in sports medicine. “I’ve had the best experience here, and staying felt like a natural next step.”
Jefferson CEO Dr. Joe Cacchione congratulated the Class of 2026 on becoming part of the University’s distinguished alumni community.
Classmate and Student Government Association President Paris Schell shared this love for Jefferson and honored her late grandmother in her speech to the undergraduate class.
“Carry the people who built you,” says Schell, a biopsychology grad with plans to work in politics following graduate school. “Carry the lessons that shaped you. Carry the love that never left you. When life starts to feel unsteady, when the ground begins to shake, remember you are still standing, and that is more than enough.”
At each of the five Commencement ceremonies, Jefferson bestowed an honorary degree to an esteemed community member, including Elizabeth “Lisa” Hughes, publisher and CEO of the Philadelphia Inquirer; Dr. Lizbeth Goodman, professor of inclusive design at University College Dublin; the Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake, Independence Blue Cross Foundation former president; Dr. Victor Dzau, National Academy of Medicine president; and Dr. Edmund Pribitkin, executive vice president and chief physician executive at Jefferson Health.
Members of the Class of 2026 receive a standing ovation at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
Each speaker celebrated the graduates and imparted these encouraging words to the Class of 2026 during ceremonies at the Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
- Elizabeth “Lisa” Hughes: “You are poised to make significant contributions to vital industries: healthcare and life science, design, architecture, business, academia and many more. You also carry the lessons of your own success: You know how to find your place and how to build a community—in your chosen disciplines, in your neighborhood, in Philadelphia or wherever life takes you. On that journey, stay connected to each other. Take the call. Show up for one another. Because the community you have built here, and the ones you choose to join and nurture, will shape the lives you lead.”
- Dr. Lizbeth Goodman: “The doors to the world are open to you now, graduates. Walk through to the next phase of your life with your knowledge and wisdom gained here and also with a continuing sense of wonder. Imagine the world you wish to live in, the job that would give you joy and support.”
- The Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake: “Thomas Jefferson University has given you a solid foundation—a place where you’ve grown academically but also personally and ethically. Now, the question is: How will you build on that foundation? The need for nurses has never been greater, and the communities waiting for your care will be better because you answered that call. You are ready. You are equipped. And you are capable of greatness.”
- Dr. Victor Dzau: “Use science and technology to advance health and improve lives, but lead with integrity and compassion. Embrace change, but stay grounded in purpose. And above all, never forget why we are doctors—because we care. In the end, the future of medicine will not be defined by technology. It will be defined by you.”
- Dr. Edmund Pribitkin: “I have a simple credo. Three lines. You could fit them on the back of a prescription pad. Smile. Work hard. Be kind.”
Elizabeth “Lisa” Hughes (third from right), Philadelphia Inquirer publisher and CEO, was among the esteemed community members honored with honorary degrees during Commencement.