Commencement 2026

2026 Commencement Ceremonies to Take Place on Lesley Campus

Lesley University is pleased to announce that the 2026 Commencement ceremonies will take place on the Cambridge campus on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

A Campus-Centered Celebration

In recent years, Lesley has invested thoughtfully in campus spaces designed to foster connection, support learning, and strengthen community. Hosting Commencement on South Campus reflects the importance of place in the Lesley experience and situates this milestone within the environment where students have studied, collaborated, and built lasting relationships.

The 2026 format will include five smaller ceremonies rather than one combined event. Commencement will maintain the formal and celebratory elements that recognize the achievements of our graduates, while supporting graduates in celebrating alongside classmates and faculty who know their work and contributions. This approach aligns each ceremony with specific academic programs and better reflects the personalized way we engage our students and the sense of community that is central to the Lesley experience.

The following invitation-only events will be held on South Campus.

Threshold Program Celebration

10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Washburn Auditorium

Pre-Doctoral Commencement Ceremonies

Pre-Doctoral Commencement ceremonies will be held for Education and Mental Health & Well-Being students:

Education
Friday, May 15
12:30 – 2:30 pm
Sherrill Library, Room 350, South Campus
*Please arrive by noon for check-in

Expressive Therapies 
Friday, May 15
1:00–2:30 pm
Sherrill Library, Room 251, South Campus
*Please arrive by 12:30 pm for check-in

Counseling & Psychology 
Friday, May 15
1:00–2:30 pm
Sherrill Library, Room 250, South Campus
*Please arrive by 12:30 pm for check-in

Doctoral Commencement Ceremony

3:00 – 4:30 pm
South Quad

  • The ceremony will be livestreamed, and recordings will be available afterward.
  • Please join us for a reception in St. John's Chapel after the ceremony concludes.
     

All ceremonies will take place on the South Quad.

  • 9:00 am – Mental Health and Well-Being graduate students
  • 11:00 am – Education, Art + Design, Liberal Arts and Business graduate students
  • 1:00 pm – Mental Health and Well-Being and Education undergraduate students
  • 3:00 pm – Art + Design, Liberal Arts and Business, and Threshold undergraduate students

Ceremony Details

  • Graduates must arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to their ceremony start time.
  • Guest seating will open 30-45 minutes before each ceremony.
  • Each ceremony will last approximately one hour.
  • Late-arriving guests may be held at the entrance gate until the processional concludes.
  • Graduates should carry limited personal items, as they may not return to the same seat after crossing the stage.
  • Personal belongings should not be left unattended during conferrals.
  • Please join us for a reception on South Campus at the conclusion of each ceremony. Your reception location is noted in the program booklet and will also be announced at the conclusion of the ceremony.

Graduates may bring up to four guests. Tickets are required for all guests.

Students may request additional tickets through a waitlist during registration. Availability of additional tickets will depend on overall RSVPs and guest counts and is not guaranteed.

Any child over the age of two requires their own ticket and will count toward the graduate’s allotted guest total. Tickets are not required for graduating students, only for guests.

Guest tickets will be distributed through the Commencement registration system. Graduates will be able to email individual tickets to each guest. Each ticket contains a unique QR code and must be printed or displayed on a smartphone at entry. Guests without a ticket will not be admitted.

If your attending guests do not have a ticket, please have them check-in at the "Walk-In / Waitlist Ticket" table. The two reasons for a guest not to have a ticket are:

  • if the graduate is registering on-site to participate in commencement
  • if your waitlisted ticket request has been designated for the overflow seating area

Commencement registration will be managed through Tassel, Lesley’s graduation software platform.

All graduating students must bring a charged cell phone to the ceremony. Upon registration, each student will receive a unique QR code. During degree conferral, event staff will scan this code to generate the graduate’s name and pronunciation as they cross the stage to receive their diploma cover.

Students may:

  • Add their Stage Pass to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet
  • Take a screenshot of the QR code
  • Print their Stage Pass

If you do not have a smartphone, contact commence@lesley.edu to arrange for a paper reader card.

Graduates may submit a photo and a quote, shoutout, or message through Tassel as part of their registration. Submissions will be included in a slideshow displayed prior to the start of each ceremony.

All submissions will be reviewed by the Commencement Office. Unapproved or inappropriate content will not be used, and students will be notified.

Tassel will manage regalia ordering, including doctoral regalia. While the website for ordering regalia is now closed, you will have the opportunity to purchase regalia on-site the day of Commencement. Please arrive early before your ceremony, as inventory will be first-come, first-served.

The university will provide hoods for all 2026 doctoral graduates. Hoods will be mailed to those unable to participate. To verify your mailing address, contact the Registrar’s Office at help@lesley.edu.

Latin Honors are awarded to qualifying undergraduate students and recognized during the ceremony.

Program-specific cords are awarded by individual academic programs and do not need to be purchased. Latin Honors cords are distributed during lineup on the day of Commencement.

Stoles are optional and may be purchased independently if desired.

The order of degree conferral will be shared in advance. Students with questions about their academic area should consult the designated area-of-study table.

During conferrals, graduates should not leave personal belongings in their seats, as they may not return to the same location.

Professional photographers will photograph each graduate during and immediately after crossing the stage. Ordering information will be provided before and after the ceremony. Graduates will receive a link to access and purchase photos.

Information about purchasing a personalized conferral video clip will be shared soon.

Lesley does not produce a yearbook; graduates may download the official program booklet once available on this site.

Following each ceremony, a reception will be held in Washburn Commons or Sherrill Library. Graduates, families, friends, faculty, and university dignitaries are invited. Food and beverages will be served.

Lesley confers degrees in September, January, and May. The May conferral corresponds with the annual Commencement ceremony.

Graduates receiving degrees in September or January are invited to participate in the May ceremony. May is the university’s only in-person Commencement ceremony.

To verify eligibility or graduation status, contact the Registrar’s Office at help@lesley.edu.

Sheraton Commander

16 Garden Street, Cambridge
2–3 minute walk
617.547.4800

Hotel 1868

1868 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
15–20 minute walk
617.499.2998

Porter Square Hotel

1924 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
15–20 minute walk
617.499.3399

Cambria Hotel Boston Somerville

515 Somerville Ave., Somerville
10 minute drive
617.341.9040

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Boston Cambridge

400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston
10 minute drive
617.783.0090

The Atlas Hotel

40 Western Ave, Boston
10 minute drive
617.214.3344

Multiple parking garages are available within walking distance:

  • Harvard Square Garage
  • University Place Garage
  • Charles Hotel Parking Garage
  • Church Street Parking Lot

Metered street parking is available throughout Cambridge on a first-come, first-served basis. Fees and time limits apply.

Discounted parking spots have been set aside for both Friday and Saturday at 52 Oxford Street Garage for $20 per car. Please click here to purchase a spot. Note that advance registration is required for these parking spots.

Lesley shuttles will operate on a loop every 15-20 minutes throughout Commencement from the 52 Oxford Garage.

Guests with mobility challenges may be dropped off curbside at South Campus.

Public transportation via MBTA subway, commuter rail, and bus is available to Harvard Square and Porter Square.

South Campus is fully accessible. A wheelchair ramp is available for stage access. Volunteers will be on hand to assist.

Guests requiring disability-related accommodations should contact Disability & Access Services at 617.349.8655, relay 711, or disabilityaccess@lesley.edu by Friday, May 8, 2026.

ASL interpreters will be present.

Accessible restrooms are available in St. John’s Chapel, Sherrill Library, and Washburn Hall.

  • No banners, flags, or signs under the tent or in campus buildings
  • Balloons and umbrellas permitted on campus but not under the main tent
  • Animals and pets are not permitted, except service animals
  • Emotional support animals are not permitted
  • Strollers must be left outside the main tent
  • Family members may not accompany graduates on stage
  • Guests may not hand diplomas to graduates on stage

Flowers and other items will be available for purchase before each ceremony.

Lesley gear will be available for purchase on Saturday throughout the day, and please note that our online shop is always open!

Questions

For additional information, contact the Commencement Office at commence@lesley.edu