2026 Commencement
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Ceremony begins at 5 p.m.
Smart Financial Centre
18111 Lexington Blvd.
Sugar Land, Texas, 77479
Commencement Speaker
Dr. Thomas Coffman, professor and senior advisor at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, will give the John E. Whitmore Lecture commencement address.
Coffman was the longest serving dean at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, a collaboration between Duke University and the National University of Singapore, from 2015-2025.
Learn more about Coffman and the other honorary degree recipients.
Students
Students should arrive at 3:30 p.m. and head to the North Gate entrance behind the venue. Follow signage to the designated check in area. Please leave purses/bags at home or with your guests as there will not be a place to store them backstage.
Parking
Parking at Smart Financial Centre (SFC) is cashless.
Accessible Parking and Elevators: Accessible parking is available and is located to the east of the SFC Plaza Area and marked with directional signs. Elevators are located on the north and south side of the lobby concourse. The accessible drop off area is located on the southwest side of the facility.
Guest Seating
Doors to the venue open to guests at 3:30 p.m. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and there is no limit to the number of guests per student.
Bags
- All bags must be no larger than 12" x 6" x 12"
- Clear bags are preferred
- Bags for medical equipment (sized appropriately to the size of the equipment) are permitted, but will be subject to search, i.e. small items like medication need to follow the standard bag policy above.
- Diaper/parenting bags (accompanied by infant/toddler) are permitted but will be subject to search.
- Following standard safety protocol, all unattended items and bags left outside the gates or within the venue will be removed from the facility immediately.
- Bags, purses or backpacks of any kind will not be accepted by Guest Services and you will be asked to take them back to your vehicle.
Cameras
Cameras with detachable lenses, audio and video recording devices, tripods and flash photography are prohibited. Small cameras with lenses less than four inches are permitted.
Diplomas
Following the ceremony, the Registrar's Office will distribute diplomas. Graduates, please remember to bring your photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport) to commencement to receive your diploma. Follow the signs at the venue to the diploma pick-up area after the ceremony.