Columbia University Graduation Season Approaches With May Class Days

Columbia University's graduation season kicks off in May with school-specific Class Day ceremonies across campus. Each of Columbia's schools and affiliated institutions will host separate celebrations before the university-wide commencement.

Graduation season at Columbia University is right around the corner. With May approaching, students, faculty, and families are preparing for the annual rites of spring the school-specific celebrations known as Class Days.

Columbia's graduation season is unlike most universities. Instead of a single ceremony, each of Columbia's schools and affiliated institutions hosts its own Class Day event. These ceremonies are deeply personal, tailored to the unique character of each academic community. The Columbia Business School Class Day, for instance, features its own keynote speaker and award presentations, separate from the Columbia College ceremony held on the same campus just days apart.

The university-wide commencement ceremony, which brings together graduates from all schools, follows the individual Class Days. This structure allows each school to honor its graduates in a setting that reflects its specific mission and culture. The engineering school celebrates its graduates with a focus on innovation and research. The journalism school highlights the work of its graduating reporters and editors. The School of General Studies honors non-traditional students who completed their degrees later in life.

For families traveling to New York, the logistics can be daunting. Multiple ceremonies across multiple days mean careful planning is required. The university's commencement website provides detailed schedules, ticket information, and guidance for visitors. Hotels near the Morningside Heights campus fill up months in advance, and local restaurants are booked solid during graduation week.

This year's ceremonies carry additional weight. Columbia has been at the center of national debates over campus protests, free speech, and university leadership. How the school honors its graduates and who is invited to speak will be watched closely by alumni, donors, and higher education observers.

Columbia has not yet announced its 2026 Class Day speakers or whether any notable figures will receive honorary degrees. Those announcements are expected in the coming weeks. For now, students are ordering caps and gowns, families are booking flights, and the campus is preparing to send another class into the world.

As Columbia University prepares for its school-specific Class Day ceremonies this May, The Silicon Review examines how graduation traditions at one of America's most scrutinized campuses are unfolding amid ongoing debates about the future of higher education.