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<\/p>\n\n May 09, 2026
\n By Queens University Communications\n <\/p>\n
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Family and friends filled Queens University of Charlotte\u2019s Curry Arena on May 9 for the university\u2019s 167th commencement ceremony, celebrating the Class of 2026. This year, 495 students \u2013 304 undergraduates and 191 graduate students \u2013 proudly received their diplomas, marking the culmination of their academic journeys and the exciting launch into their next adventures as Queens alumni.<\/p>\n
International graduate student and rugby athlete, Tertius Dietrechsen \u201924, \u201926, provided the invocation and offered words of encouragement to his classmates. \u201cGraduates, we have learned the value of resilience and the power to tell a story, but let us never forget the human story behind each graduate,\u201d he said. \u201cAs we transition from the halls of Queens to the competitive arenas of business, arts, science, and global industry, may we carry the motto of this university with us, \u2018Not to be served, but to serve.’\u201d<\/p>\n
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Next, Acting President Jesse Cureton \u201902 encouraged students to be resilient and embrace unforeseen opportunities. \u201cLean into the unpredictable. As you head into the next stage of your life, don\u2019t just look for the \u2018safe\u2019 path. Look for the path that challenges you. Embrace those challenges head-on,\u201d said Cureton. \u201cYou are the living legacy of Queens University of Charlotte, and you are taking that legacy into a world that desperately needs leaders who aren\u2019t afraid to face change head-on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senior Class President Emmanuel Omari \u201926<\/a> took to the podium to introduce the distinguished keynote speaker, Shelly Cayette-Weston, who serves as president of business operations for Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE). \u201cAs someone whose journey was shaped by the generosity and belief of others, I\u2019m especially honored to introduce a leader who has built her career on lifting others and strengthening the community she serves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Taking the stage, Cayette-Weston spoke about her journey to leading a successful NBA franchise and shared lessons learned along the way. She challenged students to live without self-imposed limits and to have a mindset that embraces unexpected change. \u201cThere is no plan you can script today that will go seamless,\u201d she said. \u201cBut with every challenge, I encourage each of you to see it with a different lens. See it as a vision of opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n Lauryn Futrell \u201926<\/a>, student body president, reflected on her time on campus living by the Queens motto. \u201c\u2018Not to be served, but to serve,\u2019 is something we have truly embodied,\u201d she said. \u201cThrough our clubs, organizations, and\u202fthe\u202fclassroom,\u202fwe\u2019ve\u202fcreated a campus culture rooted in connection, diversity, and purpose. For many of us, this truly became a home away from home.\u201d<\/p>\n Brandon Perry, chair of Queens\u2019 board of trustees, also addressed the crowd. \u201cThe world needs leaders who choose understanding over assumption, collaboration over division, and purpose over convenience,\u201d he said. \u201cAs you leave Queens for your next chapter, carry forward the knowledge you\u2019ve gained, but also the character, empathy, and wisdom this university has helped cultivate within you. We are proud of you. We believe in you, and we can\u2019t wait to see the impact that you have.\u201d<\/p>\n