Speakers called on graduating students to stay resilient amid political division and academic challenges during the annual College of Letters and Science commencement ceremony Friday.
UCLA hosted the ceremonies at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thousands of students graduated Friday, with 200 of them receiving college honors, a speaker said during the event.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a UCLA alumnus and six-time track and field Olympic medalist, served as the event’s distinguished speaker. Graduating students were recognized for their service, research and Latin honors throughout the event.
[Related: Jackie Joyner-Kersee announced as UCLA College commencement speaker]
Having an athletic scholarship for both basketball and track and field allowed Joyner-Kersee to attend UCLA – and ultimately graduate in 1985, she said in a speech.
She added in her speech that she was unable to attend her own graduation because she was competing with the United States Olympic team at the time of her ceremony.
“To be here with each and every one of you today really fills my heart,” she said. “You’re graduating, and I’m graduating with you.”
Chancellor Julio Frenk urged attendees in a speech to not let disagreement cause division within the UCLA community, and prioritize kindness and empathy.
“It is relatively easy to be kind to people who look like us, sound like us, pray like us or love like us,” he said during the speech. “It is much more difficult to show kindness across those differences.”
Four graduating students holding a Palestinian flag interrupted Frenk’s speech at about 11:30 a.m. A security officer took the flag from the students after Frenk paused his speech for about three minutes.
Pro-Palestine protests have been a familiar sight on campus since October 2023 – when Israel launched a military offensive in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian political party and militant group Hamas attacked Israel and killed about 1,200 people. The Israeli military has since killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
A speaker said during the start of the 11 a.m. ceremony that while UCLA supports students’ right to free speech, it will not tolerate disruptions during the event.
A screen displayed a message before the event that said UCLA aims to ensure all guests have the same experience, regardless of their views. Attendees who interrupt the event will be warned and escorted out, the message said.
Frenk resumed his speech and did not acknowledge the disruption.
Justin Dunnavant, the ceremony’s college marshal and chair of the African cultural archeology department, said during the event that students and faculty have persevered through unexpected challenges this year, including the hacking of Canvas – the university’s learning management system – and flooding on the Hill.
ShinyHunters, a criminal extortion group, led a cyberattack against Canvas in early May. BruinLearn, which is hosted on Canvas, was temporarily disabled because of the attack.
The group claimed on the Canvas website in May that it stole multiple universities’ data, and threatened to release it if Instructure – Canvas’ parent company – did not contact them.
[Related: Cyberattack on Bruin Learn stops students from studying, working on assignments]
Multiple floods also occurred on the Hill throughout the 2025-26 academic year, including in Hedrick Hall, Rieber Hall and Saxon Suites.
[Related: Students reflect on housing experiences amid floods, policy changes]
“You all are the reason why UCLA became the number one public institution in the country,” Dunnavant said in his speech. “You represent the best amongst us.”
Amiee Tashpa Scott Ozuna, a graduating psychology student and student speaker, said during her speech that the land UCLA lies on is sacred, and community members should care for it. Ozuna, a descendant of the Gabrielino-Tongva tribe, added that the Gabrielino-Tongva people’s presence is deeply connected to the land.
“Their history is not something of the past,” she said in the speech. “It is living, enduring and present.”
Raquel Ladabaum, the 11 a.m. ceremony’s student speaker and a graduating physics student, said UCLA allowed her and other other graduating students to build diverse friendships, think critically and solve problems creatively.
Harvir Hothi, a graduating gender studies and sociology student, said UCLA’s prestige has created numerous opportunities for her.
Hothi said she resonated with Joyner-Kersee’s speech, which emphasized the importance of community and self-confidence. She added that the most memorable part of the ceremony was when the graduating students all stood for the 8-clap – an iconic UCLA spirit chant – at the end of the event.
“Class of 2026 – may you lead with intellect, humility and heart,” Frenk said in his speech. “May you use what you have learned here not only to improve your own lives, but also improve the lives of others. May we stay connected as one UCLA.”
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