By SUSAN JONES

Pitt’s university-wide undergraduate commencement moves to the city’s largest venue — Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore — this year at 3:30 p.m. May 3.

The location of the annual ceremony has been getting bigger and bigger over the past few years to accommodate more graduates and more guests. Last year’s ceremony was at PPG Paints Arena, after many years at the Petersen Events Center.

Graduates and guests are encouraged to arrive early — doors open at 2 p.m. — to allow ample time for seating. Chancellor Emeritus Mark Nordenberg, who is retiring later this year after 49 years at Pitt, will be the speaker.

The Pittsburgh Marathon also will occur on May 3, starting at 7 a.m. on Liberty Avenue and ending at Point State Park. Most road closures for the marathon will end at 2:30 p.m. The North Side leg of the race is between miles 3 and 6. Racers get to Oakland in miles 12 and 13 of the 26.2 mile marathon.

There will be limited parking at the stadium and Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses will be running on a modified schedule, because of the marathon. Check the PRT detours page for more information.

For those who wish to park in Oakland, all university-owned lots on campus are free and open to public on May 3, beginning at 8 a.m. Be aware that construction is ongoing in many places in Oakland, particularly on Fifth Avenue. Refer to the Pitt Mobility website for up-to-the-day information regarding construction, road closures, etc.

Free shuttle service will be offered to take graduates and their guests to and from Acrisure Stadium. Buses depart from University Place (near Nordenberg Hall), beginning at 1 p.m. and continuing until 3:30 p.m. Return service will be available back to campus at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum until one hour after the end of the ceremony. ADA accessible shuttles are available and will drop guests off at the accessible area at Acrisure Stadium, on North Shore Drive outside of Gate A. 

Guests also can park at Station Square and take the Gateway Clipper to right outside of Gate A or the T to outside of Gate C.

For the most up-to-date information, go to the Commencement website and follow @pittcommencement on Instagram. 

Those who can’t make it to the ceremony can watch it live-streamed starting promptly at 3:30 p.m. Watch here.

School ceremonies

Each of Pitt’s schools also holds its own graduation celebration, mostly between April 30 and May 3.

New this year, five of the schools will have ceremonies at the new Victory Heights Arena and Sports Performance Center, which has not officially opened yet.

The ceremonies will be in the arena — which will mainly be used for wrestling, gymnastics and volleyball. Visitors will enter the building on level 3, which can be accessed from the stairs adjacent to the Petersen Events Center. From Terrace Street, the stairs are to the right of the Pete and from the OC Lot they are to the left. The entrance is at the halfway point of the staircase.

Those unable to take the stairs can use the escalator (or the elevators) inside Petersen Events Center to the midpoint/food court level and exit toward the Arena and Sports Performance Center. The entrance and arena are on the same level.

The school ceremonies are:

Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Commencement Ceremony: 11 a.m. April 30, Victory Heights Arena. For students receiving master’s and doctoral from the summer 2025, fall 2025 and spring 2026 graduating classes.

School of Education: 6 p.m. April 30, Victory Heights Arena. August 2025, December 2025, May 2026, and June 2026 graduates are invited to participate in this ceremony.

Frederick Honors College Spring Commencement Ceremony: 3 p.m. April 30, Petersen Events Center

School of Computing and Information Recognition Ceremony: 5 p.m. May 1, Victory Heights Arena. The ceremony celebrate graduating undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students. Doors open at 4 p.m. for pre-ceremony reception and graduate check-in. Ceremony begins at 5 p.m.

Swanson School of Engineering school-wide graduate commencement: 1 p.m. May 1, Petersen Events Center. Order of the Engineer Ceremony, 7 p.m. May 1, Petersen Events Center

School of Nursing Spring Commencement Ceremony: 10-11:30 a.m. May 1, Victory Heights Arena. Graduates from all academic levels will be recognized — bachelor's, master's, doctoral and certificate programs.

School of Pharmacy: 10:30 a.m. May 1, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall

School of Public and International Affairs: 3:30 p.m. May 1, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall

Pitt Business: 11 a.m. May 2, Petersen Events Center. The spring 2026 commencement ceremony is for all Pitt Business graduates at all levels. This unified ceremony brings together our school’s leadership, faculty, and staff to recognize our graduates.

Pitt Public Health: 2:30 p.m. May 2, Victory Heights Arena

School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. May 2, depending on major, at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall

School of Social Work Evening of Recognition: 5 p.m. reception and 7 p.m. ceremony, May 3, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall third floor grand ballroom. All School of Social Work students graduating in December 2025, April 2026, June 2026 or August 2026 can attend.

School of Law: 11 a.m. May 7, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall. Reception to follow at the Barco Law Building

Pitt Dental Medicine Diploma Ceremony: 1 p.m. May 16, Heinz Hall

School of Medicine Diploma Day: 2 p.m. May 17, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall

Regional campuses

Pitt–Greensburg: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 2 in Chambers Hall, depending on major. Find list here.

Pitt–Johnstown: 1 p.m. May 2, Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center

Pitt–Bradford: 2 p.m. May 3 in the KOA Arena, McDowell Sport and Fitness Center.

Other ceremonies

International Student Celebration: 4 to 5:30 p.m. April 21, William Pitt Union Assembly Room

Lavender Celebration: 5 to 7 p.m. April 30, William Pitt Union Assembly Room. For those who self-identify as LGBTQIA+ or who support the LGBTQIA+ community. Guest RSVP 

University Center for International Studies’ Graduation Ceremony: 11 a.m. April 30, in the Charity Randall Theater, followed by a reception in the Henry Heymann Theater, both at 4301 Forbes Ave.

Latino/a/e Student Achievement Celebration: 5 to 7 p.m. May 1, William Pitt Union Assembly Room. Guest RSVP 

The Gathering: 2 to 4 p.m. May 2, William Pitt Union Assembly Room. For BIPOC students and supporters. Guest RSVP 

Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.

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