SUNY Orange celebrates 76th commencement with nearly 450 graduates
Rain moved SUNY Orange’s 76th commencement indoors, but nearly 450 graduates still filled the Physical Education Center before about 2,200 family members and friends.
Rain pushed SUNY Orange’s 76th commencement into the Physical Education Center, but the move barely dimmed the scene on the Middletown campus. Nearly 450 graduates crossed the stage Thursday, May 21, 2026, before an estimated 2,200 family members and friends in the gym, another 250 watching in on-campus viewing areas, and still more following the livestream.
The ceremony was originally set for Alumni Green, but morning rain triggered the college’s inclement-weather plan and shifted the celebration indoors. Even with the change, the turnout underscored how much the community college still matters across Orange County, where SUNY Orange serves students heading toward transfer degrees, certificates and immediate workforce entry. The college said 767 students are expected to complete degree requirements during the 2025-26 academic year, including December, May and August candidates.
President Kristine Young told graduates their degrees represented more than credentials, framing the milestone as proof of persistence. That message fit a class that arrived at the finish line after a week of recognition that began Tuesday, May 19, with the 67th Annual Awards Convocation. SUNY Trustee Stanley Litow, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, board chair Tom Weddell and SUNY Orange Foundation board member Adam McCarey also took part in the ceremony.
Several students and faculty members gave the day added local weight. Devshi Saxena of Goshen, who had already been named the Northeast Regional Honors Council Two-Year College Student of the Year, was among the students honored by the college and the State University of New York. Saxena and Maurice Davoren received the 2026 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence in Albany on April 27. Mathematics professor Michelle Tubbs was recognized in a separate May 18 ceremony with SUNY Orange’s 2026 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service.
The class also pointed to SUNY Orange’s role in the county’s talent pipeline. Through the college’s P-TECH partnership with IBM and Newburgh Free Academy, 33 students completed the program and 26 earned free associate degrees in cybersecurity while still in high school. That kind of track matters in Orange County, where employers need workers ready for technical jobs and families are looking for affordable paths into high-demand fields.
Board chair Tom Weddell’s presence carried its own symbolism. SUNY Orange said Weddell graduated from the college in 1976, making him part of a 50-year span that linked past classes to this year’s graduates. May 2026 diplomas will be mailed 4 to 6 weeks after commencement, while December 2025 graduates already received theirs, closing out a celebration that was as much about county workforce development as it was about caps and gowns.
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