Speakers: Joe Piscopo and Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez

Lakewood, N.J. — Georgian Court University will celebrate its 115th Annual Commencement Ceremonies on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the Wellness Center Arena on campus in Lakewood, N.J.

Degrees will be conferred* on 540 students from the University’s three schools: 363 bachelor’s degrees, 171 master’s degrees, and 6 doctoral degrees. The new Master of Social Work program will mark the first class of graduates with 28 students completing degree requirements.

The youngest graduate is 19, and the oldest is 74. First-generation students make up 25 percent of the undergraduate class. In addition, 4 students have successfully completed the Transition and Career Studies Program (TCS), a non-degree certificate program designed for students with intellectual disabilities that offers full immersion in college life, opportunities to grow academically and socially, and the chance to identify a career path.

The day begins with a Baccalaureate Mass at 10 a.m. at the Dorothy Marron University Chapel. The traditional bagpipe-led student and faculty procession begins at 12:10 p.m. at Jeffries Hall and processes across campus to the Wellness Center for the undergraduate ceremony at 12:30 p.m.

The undergraduate speaker will be N.J. Hall of Fame Inductee Joe Piscopo, a New Jersey native, renowned actor (Saturday Night Live), radio host of the Joe Piscopo Show, and founder of the Positive Impact Foundation. He will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

The graduate speaker will be Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, a graphic novelist, activist, creator of La Borinqueña—an original Puerto Rican superhero—and a philanthropist who works closely with the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey. He will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

The graduate procession will start at 5:15 p.m. at Jeffries Hall and conclude at the Wellness Center for the ceremony at 5:30 p.m.

The three schools will award the following degrees:

● School of Arts, Sciences, and Education: 133 bachelor’s, 96 master’s, and 6 doctoral degrees (Psy.D.)

● School of Business & Digital Media: 63 bachelor’s and 26 master’s

● Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing and Wellness at GCU: 167 bachelor’s and 49 master’s, including 28 MSW degrees

The undergraduate student address will be presented by Hunter Rindos, a resident of Islip, Long Island, who will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Business Administration.

The graduate student address will be presented by Sophia Melendez, a resident of Union, N.J., who is a member of the first class of students to earn a Master of Social Work degree.

*The graduation numbers include students who completed degree requirements in May 2026, August 2025, December 2025, and February 2026.

About Georgian Court University

Georgian Court University is a leading regional university that provides a transformative education, preparing students for ethical leadership and service in the Catholic Mercy tradition. Founded in 1908 and sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, the university has a historic special concern for women. In 2026, Newsweek named Georgian Court one of the top 50 colleges for women nationally in its inaugural America’s Best Colleges for Women rankings. The university is Central and South Jersey’s only Catholic university and offers a strong liberal arts core.

As a forward-thinking university that supports diversity and academic excellence, Georgian Court empowers more than 1,800 students of all faiths and backgrounds in 30+ undergraduate majors and 25+ graduate programs. The GCU Lions compete in 16 NCAA Division II sports in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). GCU has been named to Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll for eight consecutive years, recognizing it as one of the most transfer-friendly institutions in the nation. High student retention and graduation rates make GCU a Top Performer on Social Mobility on U.S. News & World Report’s rankings, and in 2024, GCU was named one of the best Online Master’s Colleges in New Jersey.

The main campus is in Lakewood, New Jersey, on the picturesque former George Jay Gould estate, a National Historic Landmark. Georgian Court, which is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, also serves students through its Center for Professional Studies, and at other locations, including GCU at Brookdale, and through multiple online degree and certificate programs.

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