Vermont State University Class of 2026 Graduates 1,531 Students Prepared to Make a Lasting Impact in Vermont and Beyond 

May 22, 2026

A smiling graduate waves to the crowd while processing along a red carpet pathway during an outdoor commencement ceremony. A long line of fellow graduates in black caps and gowns stretches behind her across a green hillside, with a forested Vermont mountain rising prominently under a blue sky in the background.

Vermont State University celebrated its Class of 2026 with a weekend of commencement celebrations at four of its residential campuses: Castleton, Johnson, Lyndon, and Randolph, with Williston campus students participating in the Randolph ceremony. Commencement was held on the Castleton and Randolph campuses on Saturday, May 16, and on the Lyndon and Johnson campuses on Sunday, May 17. The university’s spring graduates were joined by friends and family as they received their diplomas, recognizing years of dedicated study and learning. 

A smiling graduate with long hair and a gold-and-blue honor cord walks in a procession, surrounded by fellow graduates in black caps and gowns. One graduate nearby wears a cap decorated with flowers.
A laughing graduate in cap and gown hugs her diploma cover while sharing a joyful moment with a woman in a floral dress at an outdoor commencement ceremony. White event tents and evergreen trees are visible in the background.
Two people in black caps and gowns with gold accents examine an award together on stage. An older faculty member and a younger graduate lean in to read the document.
Two smiling female graduates stand close together in black caps and gowns with blue-and-white honor cords. Their caps display gold "2026" tassels. A diverse group of classmates is visible behind them.
A wide view of the Vermont State University Castleton commencement ceremony inside a large timber-framed pavilion. Hundreds of graduates in black caps and gowns face a stage where a speaker stands at a podium beneath a Vermont State University banner.
A smiling graduate waves to the crowd while processing along a red carpet pathway during an outdoor commencement ceremony. A long line of fellow graduates in black caps and gowns stretches behind her across a green hillside, with a forested Vermont mountain rising prominently under a blue sky in the background.
A graduate wearing a wide-brimmed black hat and a patterned shirt beneath his gown smiles proudly while holding a Vermont State University diploma cover. A faculty member in full academic regalia stands beside him.
Two graduates wearing white stoles with geometric Indigenous designs smile at the camera. Both wear black caps; one has a gold "2026" tassel. A third graduate is partially visible behind them.
A graduate beams with pride as she adjusts a salmon-colored academic hood draped around her neck during a hooding ceremony. A faculty member in a doctoral tam and blue-and-gold regalia smiles beside her.
An overhead view of graduates seated at a commencement ceremony under a large tent. In the foreground, a cap is decorated with "2026" in gold rhinestones and a cursive message in white pearls. A colorful stage is visible at the front.
A row of graduates turn their tassels from right to left in unison, marking the official moment of graduation. Many wear identifying stoles, including green "Student Athlete" sashes and white TRIO program stoles, inside a timber-framed venue.
A graduate wearing a black cap and gown adorned with multiple colorful honor cords and medallions delivers a speech at a Vermont State University podium, smiling and gesturing with one hand. The photo is taken from a low angle beneath a tent canopy.

In total, Vermont State will graduate 1,531 students from 227 Vermont communities and beyond in Academic Year 2025-2026. The vast majority of Vermont State graduates live and work in Vermont after graduation, making meaningful contributions locally and statewide, with global impact. Fast facts on Vermont State’s graduates include: 

  • Over one-third are earning degrees from the university’s signature healthcare programs, including all levels of nursing, paramedicine, respiratory therapy, and dental hygiene. These graduates will continue on with their education or enter the workforce, prepared for a career in these high-demand fields.
  • 82 are earning degrees in engineering and construction management, supporting infrastructure, research, and housing needs. 
  • 400 are graduating from the university’s education programs, spanning early childhood, elementary and special education, secondary education, and teacher preparation.
  • 215 graduates are leaving with degrees in business, hospitality, or technology, ready to start a business, work in the state’s booming tourism and outdoor recreation industries, or contribute meaningfully to business and industry.
  • 95 studied mental health and human services, ready to address shortages in the mental health workforce.

True to its mission to prepare its students for both meaningful work and responsible citizenship by fostering their intellectual, personal, and creative growth, Vermont State is proud of its graduates and their diverse plans following graduation. 

Audrey Tembreull is graduating with a degree in communications. She attended both the Johnson and Lyndon campuses and combined her academic interests with her athletics, sharing: “VTSU was a great option for me to do both a sport I love that I’ve always done since second grade, but also to be able to pursue what I want to do for a degree. My internship with VTSU Johnson Athletics, doing video content photography for them, boosted my creativity and editing skills as well as photography skills.”

At the Randolph campus, Gabby Jones noted how her rich experience in the construction management program prepared her for her post-graduation plan to work at Farrington Construction in Shelburne. “If you’re in (high school) tech, I’d look at this program, see where people are now,” she said. “We have alumni that are VPs and senior project managers. The opportunities here are endless. And the teachers really want you to be successful. They push you; they lay everything out; and you just have to take the opportunities.”

A graduate of the history program and participant in the McNair Scholars Program on the Castleton campus, Hunter Day, will enroll at Villanova University for his master’s degree, after which he plans to seek a Ph.D. He noted, “If I could do it all over again, I would choose Vermont State University Castleton as my home institution. I’ve met so many lifelong friends; I’ve learned so many lifelong skills; and it has truly set me on a track that otherwise I do not believe I would be on.”

Vermont State University President David Bergh presided over each commencement ceremony, and emphasized the importance of living Vermont State’s core value of continuous, lifelong learning after graduation. He also spoke of the importance of building on the skills and knowledge gained in each individual’s education, and adapting those to life outside the classroom, stating: 

“I am confident you all are leaving here prepared for whatever comes next. With the insight to define what matters to you, the skills to act on it, the determination to see it through, and a community that will stay with you throughout your career and your life. That’s what Vermont State University set out to give you. And I am certain that wherever you land will be better because of you.”

In addition to the main campus graduations, Vermont State University held a graduation ceremony for the level IV completers of its apprenticeship program last week and will recognize graduates of its practical nursing certificate program, as well as its Killington Resort-based resort and hospitality management program in June.