Bennington College Commencement

Dear Bennington Community and guests,

This is your one hour reminder! We look forward to seeing you under the tent, and please use this link to watch the Conferring of Degrees if you are attending remotely. The ceremony begins at 10:00 am, sharp!

Warmly,
Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

Dear Bennington Community and Guests, 

Bennington College’s 91st Commencement Weekend Celebrations start today! After a careful review of the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, we have determined that for the foreseeable future all events will proceed as previously scheduled. 

• Seating for Commencement Eve dinner— Graduates received their assigned table numbers on Tuesday, May 26th. As a reminder, if you plan to attend, but did not fill out the form, you were assigned a seat.

• Guest Registration—As you know, each graduate may invite four guests to the Dessert Reception. There is no guest limit for guests at the Conferring of Degrees. Guest registration for the dessert reception is now closed. 

• Remote Participation: If you are remaining at home or are away from campus, view Commencement Dinner here, and the Commencement Conferring of Degrees Ceremony here. 

• MFA or December Graduates unable to attend the rehearsal, please proceed to the tent on Saturday as directed. If you ordered a cap and gown, but have not retrieved it, you can pick it up on Saturday when you arrive at Commons Lawn from the Dressing tent. In the meantime kindly watch the cap and processional videos in advance of Saturday.

  • Watch the How to Wear Commencement Regalia (Undergraduates), or if applicable our How to Wear Commencement Regalia (MFA) for tassel placement, fit and general advice! (2 mins watch time)

  • Watch our Conferring of Degrees Processional Review video to see what the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will look like on the day! (2 mins watch time)

For Friends and Families:

• All public Commencement details will be on our Commencement website. All virtual Commencement exercises will premiere there and on Bennington College’s YouTube. Videos will remain up after the events. 

Schedule-at-a-Glance:

Friday Evening, May 29th

Address & Toast—Families and friends participate virtually.

• Beginning at 5:30 pm—Enjoy the Red Carpet and strike a pose in either or both (!) of the photo booths. 

• At 6:15 pm, the Class of 2026 will celebrate together with a Formal Senior Dinner on Commons Lawn under the tent, for our seniors only, with faculty, board of trustees, leadership, senior speaker, and working staff. Dress is formal—Bennington Best! Boas will be provided!

• At 7:15 pm, Ikuko Yoshido will give the Faculty Toast followed by the Senior Speaker Address by Andy Farrell ‘26. Note: these addresses will be livestreamed. **Please allow a 15-minute start time delay**

• At 7:45 pm, enjoy the Dessert Reception with family and friends, staff, faculty, and leadership in the Student Center. Music for the Dessert Reception will be provided by BC Jazz Combo.

Saturday Morning, May 30th

• Graduates please gather at 9:15 am under the tent. It is essential that you are on time!

  • Watch the How to Wear Commencement Regalia (Undergraduates), or if applicable our How to Wear Commencement Regalia (MFA) for tassel placement, fit and general advice! (2mins watch time)

  • Watch our Conferring of Degrees Processional Review video to see what the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will look like on the day! (2 mins watch time)

• The Conferring of Degrees begins at 10:00 am sharp.

• For those participating virtually, this will be livestreamed. 

• The campus will be open at 8:45 am; guests can follow parking instructions and traffic patterns to Commons lawn. Water will be provided. Note that this event will happen outside, rain or shine (unless we have prolonged rain—then we may delay our start to accommodate—and squeeze under the tent safely). In the unlikely event we have extreme weather, we will shift to our extreme weather plan and location and you and your family members will receive email instructions to follow. Finally, please bring sunscreen, umbrellas, hats, etc. as necessary.

See you soon! If you have any questions please email us at commencement@bennington.edu.

Warmly,

Nicole Arrington

Director of Special Events

Dear Faculty,

Commencement is just around the corner! We are keeping our eye on the weather forecast, it all looks good so far for both days! However, more details to follow as needed so please read all Commencement emails. Here are the details:

Friday, May 29

If you have RSVP’d to attend the Commencement Dinner—thank you! Tables have been reserved for faculty, and will be marked with a GREEN SIGN. Please choose a seat at any of those tables, as seating is not assigned by seat only by table. If you did not RSVP and would like to tune-in virtually at 7:15 pm, a Youtube link is available. You can also watch via the Commencement webpage.

Saturday, May 30

Please arrive at the Welling Living Room at 9:20 am. Coffee and water will be served on Commons Lawn. If you ordered regalia this year, it will be waiting for you in the Common room. *Please consider: as we rent this regalia, we must return it as it was sent. Instructions on how to pack up your regalia after the ceremony will be provided (they will be posted around Welling, on the regalia box, on the reusable bag of your regalia, and given verbally by a volunteer or a staff member pre-ceremony). Please do not take your regalia with you, return to Wellings Common Room to remove it and pack it up–this helps us enormously!*  

If this is your first time participating in Bennington College’s Commencement Conferring of Degrees Ceremony,  we invite you to watch our brief (2 mins) Conferring of Degrees Processional Review video to see what the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will look like on the day!

For those participating virtually, you can view the Commencement Conferring of Degrees Ceremony here.

Thank you again for your patience and cooperation in support of our seniors.

Warmly,
Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

Dear Staff,

I’m writing to share some reminders and attendance links, in advance of this week’s events.

Commencement Eve, Friday, May 29th at 7:15 pm | Commencement Dinner (graduates only) and Address (live streamed) 

As you know, Commencement dinner is a seniors-only dinner, however the address following the dinner will be livestreamed starting at 7:15 pm, via Youtube. You can also watch via the Commencement webpage.

**Please allow a 15-minute start time delay**

Commencement Eve, Friday, May 29th at 7:45 pm | Dessert Reception

All staff are welcome to celebrate the Class of 2026 with their families and friends at the Dessert Reception after Commencement Eve Dinner and Addresses! The Dessert Reception will be held at the Student Center at 7:45pm. 

**Please allow a 15-minute start time delay**

Commencement Morning, Saturday, May 30th at 10am | Conferring of Degrees Ceremony 

All staff are invited to attend the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony on campus. Note: It is possible we will be under the tent due to the weather and that seating will be very very tight, so limited standing room only will be available. Thank you for your understanding. However for remote viewing access, you will be able to stream the Conferring of Degrees event on YouTube or via the Commencement webpage.

We’re doing our best to provide robust programming, however be advised that if we have inclement weather we will have to make changes to the schedule. With that in mind, please keep an eye on the Commencement website and your email for updates. 

As always, we want to thank each and every one of you for doing all you can to help make this a success for the graduates!

Warmly,

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

Dear Class of 2026,

As a reminder, the Commencement Rehearsal will take place today at 6:00 p.m. under the tent on Commons Lawn. This will also be an opportunity for you to pick up your cap and gown, if ordered.

Get ahead with these 2 mins short videos:

• Watch our How to Wear Commencement Regalia (Undergraduates), or if applicable, our How to Wear Commencement Regalia (MFA), for tassel placement, fit, and general advice.

• Watch our Conferring of Degrees Processional Review video to see what the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will look like on the day.

The Commencement Rehearsal is an important opportunity for you to learn key details about the Commencement ceremony. I have also pasted last week’s “All Things Commencement” email below so you have that information for reference.

Remember! The Decorate Your Cap event hosted by Institutional Advancement is tomorrow, Thursday, May 28, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Student Center!

We look forward to seeing you this evening!

Sincerely,
Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

-------------------------------------------

Dear Class of 2026,

Your final week at Bennington is around the corner! Below are the actions to take for the next few days, as well as a brief overview of the schedule of the festivities for Friday and Saturday.

Actions to take: 

• Commencement Rehearsal—Reminder, please come to the tent on Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00 pm on Commons Lawn for a brief rehearsal for the ceremony and cap and gown pickup.
  • Get ahead: 
    • Watch the How to Wear Commencement Regalia (Undergraduates), or if applicable our How to Wear Commencement Regalia (MFA) for tassel placement, fit and general advice! (2 mins watch time)
    • Watch our Conferring of Degrees Processional Review video to see what the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will look like on the day! (2 mins watch time)
• Decorate Your Cap event hosted by Institutional Advancement!!—Join us on Thursday, May 28 from 2:00-4:00 pm in the Student Center for a moment of pre-celebration and camaraderie. Supplies and sweet treats will be provided. 
• Accessibility—As you know, the senior dinner is under the tent and the conferring of degrees ceremony will be at the End of The World on Commons lawn. If you or your guests have mobility or accessibility concerns—e.g. They use walkers, have hearing impairments, etc—please be in touch with us via email at commencement@bennington.edu so we can take this into account.
• Seating for Commencement Eve dinner—Thank you to everyone who submitted your forms promptly! Seating has now closed, and you will receive your table number via email on Tuesday, May 26. As a reminder, if you plan to attend, but did not fill out the form, you will be assigned a seat.
• Guest Registration—As you know, each graduate may invite four guests to the Dessert Reception. There is no guest limit for guests at the Conferring of Degrees. Guest registration for the dessert reception is now closed. 
  • Families will receive a forward of this email and we’ll post it on the Commencement webpage.

Remote Students & December Graduates:

• Remote Participation: If you are remaining at home or are away from campus, please save the date and time to attend the event via livestream. View Commencement Dinner here, and the Commencement Conferring of Degrees Ceremony here. 
• MFA or December Graduates unable to attend the rehearsal, please proceed to the tent on Saturday as directed. If you ordered a cap and gown, you can pick it up Thursday - Friday (9-3pm at Barn 105, they will be set on chairs right behind the front door) or you can pick it up on Saturday from the Dressing tent when you arrive at Commons Lawn. In the meantime, kindly watch the cap and processional videos (above) in advance of Saturday.

For Your Friends and Families:

• All public Commencement details will be on our Commencement website. All virtual Commencement exercises will premiere there and on Bennington College’s YouTube. Videos will remain available after the events. We will send an email reminder to all on both Friday and Saturday with the relevant links.

Schedule-at-a-Glance:
Friday Evening, May 29th

Red Carpet Reception, Address & Toast—Families and friends participate virtually.

• Beginning at 5:30 pm—Enjoy the Red Carpet and find your way to the outdoor Photo Booth for seniors to capture fun photos with classmates and friends on both digitally and hard copies.
  • Musical arrangements by The Bennington College Balkan Ensemble directed by Joseph Alpar; they will be playing as you rock the red carpet.
• At 6:15 pm, the Class of 2026 will celebrate together with a Formal Senior Dinner, with a special menu created by our Dining team and senior playlists created courtesy of Joe Alpar.
• At 7:15 pm, Ikuko Yoshida will give the Faculty Toast followed by the Senior Speaker Address by Andy Farrell ‘26. Note: these addresses will be livestreamed as mentioned above. **Please allow a 15-minute start time delay**
• At 7:45 pm, enjoy the Dessert Reception with family and friends, staff, faculty, and leadership in the Student Center. Music for the Dessert Reception will be provided by the Jazz Combo.

Saturday Morning, May 30th

• Graduates should gather at 9:15 am under the tent. It is essential that you are on time! More information to be shared at the rehearsal at 6:00 pm on Wednesday.
  • Watch the How to Wear Commencement Regalia (Undergraduates), or if applicable our How to Wear Commencement Regalia (MFA) for tassel placement, fit and general advice! (2 mins watch time)
  • Watch our Conferring of Degrees Processional Review video to see what the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will look like on the day! (2 mins watch time)
• The Conferring of Degrees begins at 10:00 am sharp.
• For those participating virtually, links are posted on our website. 
• The campus will be open at 8:45 am; guests can follow parking instructions and traffic patterns to Commons lawn. Water will be provided. Note that this event will happen outside, rain or shine (unless we have prolonged rain—then we shall delay our start to accommodate—and squeeze under the tent safely). If we have extreme weather we will shift to our extreme weather plan and location and you and your family members will receive email instructions to follow. Finally, please bring sunscreen, umbrellas, hats, etc. as necessary.

Enjoy the next few days. I will see you on Wednesday, May 27th. If you have any questions please email us at commencement@bennington.edu. 

Warmly,

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

From: commencement@bennington.edu

Dear Class of 2026,

Your final week at Bennington is around the corner! Below are the actions to take for the next few days, as well as a brief overview of the schedule of the festivities for Friday and Saturday.

Actions to take: 

• Commencement Rehearsal—Reminder, please come to the tent on Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00 pm on Commons Lawn for a brief rehearsal for the ceremony and cap and gown pickup.
  • Get ahead: 
    • Watch the How to Wear Commencement Regalia (Undergraduates), or if applicable our How to Wear Commencement Regalia (MFA) for tassel placement, fit and general advice! (2 mins watch time)
    • Watch our Conferring of Degrees Processional Review video to see what the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will look like on the day! (2 mins watch time)
• Decorate Your Cap event hosted by Institutional Advancement!!—Join us on Thursday, May 28 from 2:00-4:00 pm in the Student Center for a moment of pre-celebration and camaraderie. Supplies and sweet treats will be provided. 
• Accessibility—As you know, the senior dinner is under the tent and the conferring of degrees ceremony will be at the End of The World on Commons lawn. If you or your guests have mobility or accessibility concerns—e.g. They use walkers, have hearing impairments, etc—please be in touch with us via email at commencement@bennington.edu so we can take this into account.
• Seating for Commencement Eve dinner—Thank you to everyone who submitted your forms promptly! Seating has now closed, and you will receive your table number via email on Tuesday, May 26. As a reminder, if you plan to attend, but did not fill out the form, you will be assigned a seat.
• Guest Registration—As you know, each graduate may invite four guests to the Dessert Reception. There is no guest limit for guests at the Conferring of Degrees. Guest registration for the dessert reception is now closed. 
  • Families will receive a forward of this email and we’ll post it on the Commencement webpage.

Remote Students & December Graduates:

• Remote Participation: If you are remaining at home or are away from campus, please save the date and time to attend the event via livestream. View Commencement Dinner here, and the Commencement Conferring of Degrees Ceremony here. 
• MFA or December Graduates unable to attend the rehearsal, please proceed to the tent on Saturday as directed. If you ordered a cap and gown, you can pick it up Thursday - Friday (9-3pm at Barn 105, they will be set on chairs right behind the front door) or you can pick it up on Saturday from the Dressing tent when you arrive at Commons Lawn. In the meantime, kindly watch the cap and processional videos (above) in advance of Saturday.

For Your Friends and Families:

• All public Commencement details will be on our Commencement website. All virtual Commencement exercises will premiere there and on Bennington College’s YouTube. Videos will remain available after the events. We will send an email reminder to all on both Friday and Saturday with the relevant links.

Schedule-at-a-Glance:
Friday Evening, May 29th

Red Carpet Reception, Address & Toast—Families and friends participate virtually.

• Beginning at 5:30 pm—Enjoy the Red Carpet and find your way to the outdoor Photo Booth for seniors to capture fun photos with classmates and friends on both digitally and hard copies.
  • Musical arrangements by The Bennington College Balkan Ensemble directed by Joseph Alpar; they will be playing as you rock the red carpet.
• At 6:15 pm, the Class of 2026 will celebrate together with a Formal Senior Dinner, with a special menu created by our Dining team and senior playlists created courtesy of Joe Alpar.
• At 7:15 pm, Ikuko Yoshida will give the Faculty Toast followed by the Senior Speaker Address by Andy Farrell ‘26. Note: these addresses will be livestreamed as mentioned above. **Please allow a 15-minute start time delay**
• At 7:45 pm, enjoy the Dessert Reception with family and friends, staff, faculty, and leadership in the Student Center. Music for the Dessert Reception will be provided by the Jazz Combo.

Saturday Morning, May 30th

• Graduates should gather at 9:15 am under the tent. It is essential that you are on time! More information to be shared at the rehearsal at 6:00 pm on Wednesday.
  • Watch the How to Wear Commencement Regalia (Undergraduates), or if applicable our How to Wear Commencement Regalia (MFA) for tassel placement, fit and general advice! (2mins watch time)
  • Watch our Conferring of Degrees Processional Review video to see what the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will look like on the day! (2 mins watch time)
• The Conferring of Degrees begins at 10:00 am sharp.
• For those participating virtually, links are posted on our website. 
• The campus will be open at 8:45 am; guests can follow parking instructions and traffic patterns to Commons lawn. Water will be provided. Note that this event will happen outside, rain or shine (unless we have prolonged rain—then we shall delay our start to accommodate—and squeeze under the tent safely). If we have extreme weather we will shift to our extreme weather plan and location and you and your family members will receive email instructions to follow. Finally, please bring sunscreen, umbrellas, hats, etc. as necessary.

Enjoy the next few days. I will see you on Wednesday, May 27th. If you have any questions please email us at commencement@bennington.edu. 

Warmly,

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

From: commencement@bennington.edu

Dear Faculty, 

Please be sure to read our Commencement overview below.

Faculty Attendance at Commencement

Friday Night (May 29th): Commencement Eve Dinner, Addresses and Dessert Reception with parents and families

For Friday evening’s events, faculty have been invited at the Senior’s request to attend the Senior-only dinner. Please see the schedule of events for exact timing but plan to be under the tent ready to be seated for 6:15 pm. Feel free to add extra time to enjoy the photo booth upon entry. Please sit at the tables labeled faculty in green, ushers will be there to assist if needed. Note the addresses, both senior and faculty toast will follow at 7:15 pm and will be livestreamed. All are welcome to attend virtually via livestream and may send encouragement/comments in the YouTube chat room as per last year. Links and instructions to watch will follow the week of Commencement. Note: the meal under the tent will consist of appetizer and main course (buffet style). And we thank you for waiting for your table to be called to the buffet. After the addresses faculty are welcome to join the seniors, parents and staff for a Dessert Reception at the student center at 7:45pm.

Saturday (May 30th): Commencement Morning Conferring of Degrees Ceremony

Faculty participating in person at the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony on Saturday, May 30 at 10:00 am (line-up at 9:30 am in Welling Common Room--with the exception of the faculty speaker). If you ordered regalia this year through our Bennington College Commencement Participation for Faculty form, it will be delivered to Welling Common Room and ushers will guide you in the line-up process. 

*Please consider: as we rent this regalia, we must return it as it was sent. Instructions on how to pack up your regalia after the ceremony will be provided (they will be posted around Welling, on the regalia box, on the reusable bag of your regalia, and given verbally by a volunteer or a staff member pre-ceremony). PLEASE DO NOT TAKE YOUR REGALIA WITH YOU, return to Wellings Common Room to remove it and pack it up. *I thank you for your follow up with this process which helps us the following week.*  

Please trust, especially for our new faculty members, that you will be guided step by step in the processional and recessional. All you have to do is follow instructions and put one foot in front of the other. If there are any additional accessibility needs kindly contact Nicole Arrington asap. Coffee will be served on Commons Lawn so kindly allow extra time to help yourself prior to dressing. 

The ceremony will be outdoors on Commons Lawn (rain or shine). Please bring hats, sunscreen, ponchos/umbrellas, etc. Water will be provided at your seat. Light refreshments will be served post ceremony at the back of the tent. An extreme storm weather plan will be shared (should we need it) the week of Commencement in case we need to move the ceremony indoors (to Greenwall Auditorium), so stay tuned.

Further and final details, including viewing links, will be shared the week of Commencement. Please review the full schedule of events on our website. If you have any additional questions please email Nicole Arrington.

Thanking you in advance for reading our emails (!) and all you do for our graduates, students and community.

Best as ever,

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

From: commencement@bennington.edu

Dear Seniors, Graduates, and MFA Candidates,

We have extended the deadline on a one-time basis for the Guest Registration form (now due this Friday May 8 by the end of the day). 

Please complete this form on behalf of your families/guests. You just need to put in your student email and the headcount info if applicable. No need to add individual guest emails.

If you need to check on what forms you have submitted, please log on to your Commencement Portal which will show you the status for each of your required forms.

If you have not yet submitted the Required Student Information Form, unfortunately it is closed and now too late to submit your regalia order. Do note that a significant number of students do not wear a cap and gown, and you are still eligible to walk in the ceremony and attend all of the Commencement related festivities! When you can, please respond with the below highlighted RSVP and seating preferences information so we have it on file.

If you have any questions, please direct them to me at commencement@bennington.edu. Congratulations again!

Warmly,
Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[For those who did not fill out the required student information form]

Will you be attending Commencement Dinner?

(Friday, May 29th at 5:30pm Under the Tent). Note: this is a senior-only dinner with faculty, trustees and leadership. 

Yes OR No.

Seating at Commencement Dinner

Please indicate your preferences - if any - within the categories of 'sit with' and 'sit near'. Please respond noting three people you'd like to sit with, and two you'd like to sit near. WE will do our best to accommodate your request, but cannot guarantee nor confirm. You will get you table number sent via email.

Please write the full names of up to 3 students you would like to sit WITH at Commencement Dinner. If you have no specific preferences, leave the questions blank.

Student #1:
Student #2:
Student #3:

Please write the full names of up to 2 students you would like to sit NEAR at Commencement Dinner. If you have no specific preferences, leave the questions blank.

Student #1:
Student #2:

From: commencement@bennington.edu

Dear Seniors, Graduates, and MFA Candidates,

A reminder to please check your Commencement Portal to ensure you have filled out the Guest Registration form (due this Friday May 1 by the end of the day).

When you log into the portal you will be able to see your current status for the form.
 

Thank you.

From: commencement@bennington.edu

Dear Seniors, Graduates, and MFA Candidates,

A reminder to please check your Commencement Portal to ensure you have filled out the Intent to Graduate form (due yesterday April 1) & Required Student Information form (due today April 2). These forms will be turned off soon and must be completed ASAP.

When you log into the portal you will be able to see your current status for each form.
 

Thank you,
Charlie Nadler
Associate Director of Enrollment and Marketing 

From: commencement@bennington.edu

Dear Seniors, Graduates, and MFA Candidates,

Let me start by sharing the details of our brand new Commencement Portal (for graduates), which will contain all of the key information and action items for you over the coming weeks!

This includes: 

• Three forms you need to complete:
  • Intent to Graduate (due April 1)
  • Required Student Information (due April 2)
  • Guest Registration (due May 1)
• Commencement schedule  
• Commencement webpage (your family’s information hub in the weeks to come)
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Upcoming weather forecast

As a broad outline, on Friday, Commencement Eve, there will be a formal dinner, (with faculty, leadership, board members and speakers,) a menu created for seniors only-- menu option details to follow) and a dessert reception with families to follow the dinner (registration details to follow, four guests per student preferred please). 

The Conferring of Degrees ceremony is on Saturday, Commencement Morning. No tickets are required for the graduation ceremony but seating is first-come, first-served, so let your guests and family members know to arrive early if they want to sit close to the front and together. 

Please trust that I shall be following up with you on a regular basis via email to shepherd you through the process. So, please read those emails!

If you have any questions, please direct them to me at commencement@bennington.edu. I look forward to assisting you through all things Commencement. Congratulations to you all on your accomplishment and best of luck for the remainder of the spring term! 

Warmly,
Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

From: commencement@bennington.edu

To: Bennington Faculty

Dear Faculty,

As Commencement 2026 draws closer, kindly review and use the Bennington College Commencement website, which will be a companion resource for your participation at Commencement. We will be updating it soon with additional information, including the latest schedule and dedicated section for Faculty.

As a next step, we would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to fill out the 2026 | Bennington College Commencement Participation for Faculty Form by Friday, April 10, 2026 to assist us with our planning. This form will help us consolidate several details: 

• Your Regalia Orders, and
• Your attendance to: Commencement Dinner (Friday, May 29th, 2026).
• Your attendance to: Conferring of Degrees Ceremony (Saturday, May 30th, 2026). 

I will follow up with you in early May with a final overview for your participation. In the meantime, complete the form above and hold the dates of May 29 and May 30 on your calendar for Commencement and next week review the website to familiarize yourself with a more detailed schedule of events. If you have any questions, please reach out to us via commencement@bennington.edu.

Best, 

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

From: commencement@bennington.edu

Dear Seniors, December Graduates, and MFA Candidates,

As the Director of Special Events, I oversee Commencement and many other major institutional events each year. I want to assure you that we work diligently to create a celebration that is both meaningful and memorable for you.

As we approach the end of the term, I’m writing with important Commencement news. As you may know, Commencement will take place May 29–30, 2026. Please save the date.

Throughout the spring term, I will guide you through every step of the graduation process. I’ll reach out via email—please be sure to read these messages—and we will also share information through our upcoming Commencement portal, which will include a comprehensive FAQ, covering cap and gown ordering, guest guidelines and registration, logistics, rehearsal and weather planning, and more.

Two especially important points to keep in mind at this time are:

• Our commencement guest policy
  • Friday night dessert reception - 4 guests per student preferred.
  • Saturday morning conferring of degrees ceremony - Open seating.
  • If your family will be traveling and you would like to begin making arrangements, our visit page is available for your convenience.
• However, please consider in your planning that if we have severe weather we will have to switch to our severe weather procedures which will mean the following:
  • Friday night - guest capacity can remain the same.
  • Saturday morning - due to safety regulations and capacity for our Greenwall Auditorium, each student can have a maximum of 2 guests in person and the remaining guest party will be allocated seating at livestream sites around our campus. Note: We had to implement our weather policy for the first time in 20 years in 2025, and they may affect your planning and guests’ experience.

​​​​​​You will hear from me again during the third week of the spring term, when we will launch the Commencement Checklist—your step-by-step guide to completing all requirements and preparing for a smooth and celebratory graduation. In the meantime, if you need to reach me, please email commencement@bennington.edu.

Wishing you a very happy and healthy holiday season!

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events
NOTE: A copy of this email will be sent to your family members of contact on file for their planning purposes.

• 2025 Commencement Eve and Commencement Day coverage with Kyle Abraham.
• 2024 Commencement Eve and Commencement Day coverage with Safiya Sinclair '10.
• 2023 Commencement Eve and Commencement Day coverage with Sofia Alvarez '07.
• 2022 Commencement Eve and Commencement Day coverage with Jericho Brown.
• 2021 Commencement Eve coverage with Darren Walker and Commencement Day coverage 
• 2020 Commencement Eve coverage with Nigel Poor ’86 and Commencement Day coverage 
• 2019 coverage with Mountain Man
• 2018 coverage with Liz Lerman
• 2017 coverage with Cornell William Brooks
• 2016 coverage with Jane Chu
• 2015 coverage with Gloria Steinem
• 2014 coverage with Johnnetta Cole

• 2025 | Kyle Abraham
• 2024 | Safiya Sinclair '10
• 2023 | Sofia Alvarez '07
• 2022 | Jericho Brown
• 2021 | Darren Walker
• 2020 | Nigel Poor ’86
• 2019 | Mountain Man (Molly Erin Sarlé ’12, Amelia Meath ’10, and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig ’09)
• 2018 | Liz Lerman
• 2017 | Cornell William Brooks
• 2016 | Jane Chu
• 2015 | Gloria Steinem
• 2014 | Dr. Johnnetta Cole
• 2013 | Elizabeth Coleman
• 2012 | Peter Dinklage ’91
• 2011 | Tim Daly ’79
• 2010 | Melissa Rosenberg ’86
• 2009 | Hendrick Hertzberg
• 2008 | Rebecca Tinsley
• 2007 | Mac Maharaj
• 2006 | Glen Van Brummelen
• 2005 | Jonathan Lethem ’86
• 2004 | Shirin Ebadi
• 2003 | Edith Velmans
• 2002 | Meredith Monk
• 2001 | Rick Moody
• 2000 | Gay McDougall ’69
• 1999 | Peter Hedges
• 1998 | Linda Wertheimer
• 1997 | Jane Alexander
• 1996 | Mark Gearan
• 1995 | Irene Borger ’71
• 1994 | Harvey Lichtenstein ’53
• 1993 | Kay Crawford Murray ’56
• 1992 | Harvey Fierstein
• 1991 | Harvey Gantt
• 1990 | Joan Tower ’61
• 1989 | Ellen McCulloch-Lovell ’69
• 1988 | Elizabeth Frank ’67
• 1987 | Barbara Lazear Ascher ’68
• 1986 | Tillie Olsen
• 1985 | Elizabeth Swados ’73
• 1984 | Howard Nemerov
• 1983 | Frederick Wiseman
• 1982 | Joseph S. Murphy
• 1981 | Bernard Malamud
• 1980 | Elizabeth Swados ’73
• 1979 | Vivian Gornick
• 1978 | Mitchell Markowitz ’75
• 1977 | Elizabeth Holtzman
• 1976 | Joseph S. Iseman
• 1975 | Carol Channing ’42
• 1974 | Thomas Brockway
• 1973 | Senior readings and performance
• 1972 | Jimmy Garrison
• 1971 | Anaïs Nin
• 1970 | Kurt Vonnegut
• 1969 | Denise Levertov
• 1968 | Thomas P.F. Hoving
• 1967 | Russell Baker
• 1966 | Howard Nemerov
• 1965 | Gene Baro
• 1964 | William Sloane Coffin, Jr.
• 1963 | David Riesman
• 1962 | Kenneth Burke
• 1961 | Henri Peyre
• 1960 | Francis Fergusson
• 1959 | George Boas
• 1958 | Jacques Barzun
• 1957 | Alvin Eurich
• 1956 | Howard M. Jones
• 1955 | W. Averell Harriman P ’40
• 1954 | Franklin Ford
• 1953 | Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
• 1952 | Harry Allen Overstreet
• 1951 | Mary Josephine Shelly
• 1950 | Reinhold Niebuhr
• 1949 | Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey
• 1948 | Erich Fromm
• 1947 | Lewis Webster Jones
• 1946 | Reinhold Niebuhr
• 1945 | Justice Frank Murphy
• 1944 | Alexander Meiklejohn
• 1943 | Robert D. Leigh
• 1942 | William Batt
• 1941 | Robert Lynd
• 1940 | Henry Wallace
• 1939 | Dorothy Canfield Fischer
• 1938 | Frederick Lewis Allen
• 1937 | W.H. Kilpatrick
• 1936 | No commencement speaker