Prince George's Community College to celebrate 1,300 graduates at May 16 ceremony

London M. Hudnall is headed to the University of Maryland to study biochemistry and pursue dentistry, and Prince George’s Community College is holding her up as a sign of what its Class of 2026 can mean for the county’s future workforce and family mobility.

Hudnall was named the college’s 2026 Distinguished Graduate as PGCC announced it will celebrate its 67th commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16, at Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro. More than 1,300 graduates are expected to cross the stage, and the college said it will award 1,463 degrees and 339 certificates.

For Prince George’s County, those numbers point to a campus that functions as more than a place of transfer credits. PGCC said it serves nearly 25,000 people each year and, in its 2024-2025 annual report, empowered 29,283 students, including 16,645 credit students and 13,119 noncredit students. The college offers more than 200 academic and career training programs at five off-campus learning sites, giving residents a path into health care, business, public safety, technology and other fields that shape the local labor market.

Falecia D. Williams, the college president, said the graduates are stepping into the world “prepared, confident, and unstoppable.” Hudnall said returning to school taught her that “it is never too late to pursue purpose.” Together, their comments frame a graduating class that includes recent high school students, adult learners and students balancing work and family obligations.

The scale of the ceremony also reflects how central PGCC remains to the county’s education pipeline. The college opened in 1958 and spent its first 10 years holding classes at Suitland High School before moving to its Largo campus in 1968. It now describes itself as the first educational institution integrated in Prince George’s County and says it is the first choice for higher education for county residents. PGCC also holds designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance for 2022-2027.

This year’s commencement will include 508 graduates earning honors and 164 from the Early and Middle College Programs, a sign that the college is serving students at different stages of life and schooling. It also comes with a week of related events, including a Cap Decorating Social on May 11, a Class of 2026 Send-Off Reception on May 12 and the Spring 2026 Nursing Pinning Ceremony on May 12.

Graduates must purchase a cap and gown to participate. Campus pickup orders cost $47, with direct-shipment deadlines set for April 19 for the best price and April 30 as the final deadline. The ceremony will be livestreamed on Verizon FiOS channel 44, Xfinity channel 75 and Xfinity channel 995 in HD.

Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna K. Miller will deliver the commencement address, giving the celebration a statewide spotlight even as its biggest impact stays local: more than 1,300 new degree and certificate holders moving into the county’s economy, classrooms, clinics and workplaces.