Commencement for the undergraduate class of 2026 will be held Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Pennsylvania Hall, north side. Seating is open and tickets are not required. Additional information and a full weekend schedule will be available in late January.
Commencement for the Gettysburg College-Gilder Lehrman Institute Master of Arts in American History is scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 11 a.m. Additional information will be provided in early 2026.
- Class of 2025
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The Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2025 was held on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
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Traditions and Past Speakers
Past Speakers
Gettysburg College graduates are inspired to Do Great Work by an outstanding speaker at the Commencement Ceremony. Past Commencement speakers have included a Supreme Court Justice, Pulitzer Prize winner, Nobel Prize for Peace recipient, military leaders, members of state and national government, social justice and humanitarian leaders, and many other representatives from a vast array of backgrounds.
Honorary Degrees
Honorary degrees are typically awarded at Commencement to exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions to specific fields such as The Arts, Public Life and Government, The Humanities and Social Sciences, and The Natural and Applied Sciences.
The Lavern H. Brenneman Award
The Lavern H. Brenneman ’36 Award For Exemplary Service to Gettysburg College is presented in recognition of those rare individuals whose distinguished service to Gettysburg College stands head and shoulders above others who have served the institution faithfully.