CHESS students lead commencement roles

UNC Charlotte celebrated Spring Commencement with five ceremonies across three days, recognizing thousands of graduates from across the University. The College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences conferred 1,081 undergraduate degrees, the most of any college, along with more than 140 master’s and doctorate degrees and graduate certificates.

CHESS students earning undergraduate degrees walked in the Friday afternoon ceremony in Dale F. Halton Arena, part of UNC Charlotte’s May 7-9 commencement events.

Across all ceremonies, the University awarded more than 5,780 degrees and certificates to graduates representing 32 countries, 40 states and 88 North Carolina counties. This year’s graduating class ranged in age from 16 to 73, and CHESS was home to both milestones.

• Jude Bianouni, 16, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology as UNC Charlotte’s youngest graduate.
• Deborah Parrish, 73, completed a bachelor’s degree in political science as the oldest graduate.

CHESS was also represented prominently among the ceremony’s student leaders. Foster D. Duckworth, who majored in history and Japanese, delivered the student address.

Kierra M. Andrews, a political science, and business administration and management major from the Belk College of Business, served as the ceremony’s bell ringer. In addition, Emily Hoyle, the University’s senior class president and a political science and communication studies double major from CHESS, served as tassel turner for all three undergraduate ceremonies.

Susana Cisneros, senior lecturer of Spanish in the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, is Charlotte’s 2026 recipient of the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. She also served as university marshal for the ceremony.

The honor of being a student marshal goes to juniors who have the highest cumulative grade point average among full time students during the previous two semesters. These CHESS students served as student marshals:

• Erica L. Anneheim
• Eryn H. Flohr
• Jessica C. Lu
• Olivia D. Marcoccia
• Morgan A. Royster
• Angelica Sibaja
• She’Naajah P. J. Warner
• Kris M. Welch
• Keaton Williams

Enny Ogunyemi, a student in the master’s of psychology program, served as a student marshal during the Saturday afternoon ceremony for the Graduate School.

The University’s Spring Commencement also featured six sets of twins, including one pair graduating from the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences.