The second weekend of June means it’s once again time to celebrate UC Santa Barbara graduates, who will be leaving behind late night study sessions, beloved professors, and coastal views.
Bachelor degree ceremonies kicked off Friday morning with the Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering ceremony, recognizing 474 graduates.
The graduates in the engineering college earned 200 computer science degrees, 74 in electrical engineering, 73 in computer engineering, 85 in mechanical engineering, and 42 in chemical engineering, according to Dean Umesh Mishra.
“Whatever degree you receive today, you leave UCSB prepared not for one version of the future, but for a lifetime of changing futures,” Mishra said.
“That has always been true in engineering. Tools change, technologies change, the hardest problems change, but what endures is your ability to learn quickly, think clearly, work with others, and solve problems that matter, that is what your training at UCSB has prepared you to do.”
Friday’s ceremony marked Chancellor Dennis Assanis’ first bachelor’s degree commencement ceremony at UCSB.
Assanis was appointed last September, making him the university’s sixth-ever chancellor and the successor to Henry Yang, who held the role for more than 30 years.
It was clear in his speech that Assanis has learned a lot about UCSB’s culture in the last year.
“You’re the kind of students who would be conducting mind-blowing research in the materials lab or working out an intricate piece of collaborative choreography in the studio for endless hours,” Assanis said. “And then wake up early next morning before class to catch the perfect wave at Campus Point, and then sprint to lecture while parking your surfboard outside and sometimes inside the classroom.”
Assanis spoke about the future graduates are entering into, addressing the rise of artificial intelligence, referring to it as a “disrupter” but also as something that has potential to generate breakthroughs.
“I’m certain the education you received at UC Santa Barbara will help you develop as complete empathetic, deeply creative human beings, and that will stand the test of time,” Assanis said.
“You built a broad foundation across disciplines, you learn to think critically, you develop fluency with AI and other new technology tools, but never at the expense of your own creativity and agency.”
The keynote address was delivered by UCSB alum Prabhakar Raghavan, chief technologist at Google. He spoke about how his plans changed, originally expecting to enter into a career of academia like his family.
While he has worked as a research scientist, an adjunct professor, and written two computer science textbooks, he’s also spent years leading teams responsible for products like Google Search, Maps, Gmail, and advertising.
“As new graduates, you often face immense pressure to choose a single, permanent committed identity, to put yourself in a box,” Raghavan said. “But your degree and your job don’t define you for life.”
His advice to the Class of 2026 was to embrace change and keep evolving their skills but also remember that they aren’t alone.
“As you forge your own path, remember you’re all part of something bigger, something together,” Raghavan said. “So be there for one another, and use your education to thoughtfully shape decisions that will improve the lives of generations to come.”
The student address was delivered by “Lily” Yuxuan Chen, who earned her degree in computer engineering. Chen spoke about her experience going from a nervous engineering student to a campus tour guide showing prospective students that stepping out of your comfort zone is possible.
“That’s exactly what makes commencement more than just the celebration of a degree,” Chen said.
“It is the celebration of who we became when earning it. We became more capable, more confident, more connected, and more committed to using our skills to uplift others.”
Chen also reflected on the community she made with other engineering students through success and struggle.
“We are more than just capable and innovative, we are collaborative, we are the kind of people who struggle together, learn together, and succeed together,” Chen said. “That is why even as we leave this campus, being a Gaucho for life is about more than just remembering where we went to school. It is about carrying this spirit with us.”
During the ceremony, four students were given special awards and recognition.
Nikhil Kapasi and Ava Smith were given the Hynes-Wood Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to student activities in the College of Engineering.
Sammy Lesner earned the Tirrell Award for distinction in undergraduate research, which recognizes graduating seniors who have shown excellence and promise as a researcher during their academic career.
Anika Jena earned the Chancellor’s Award for undergraduate research, which recognizes distinguished undergraduate researchers.
Undergraduate ceremonies will continue throughout the weekend. Graduate students were recognized Thursday evening.
Altogether UCSB has 6,727 students — both undergraduate and graduate — who will be celebrating their new degrees.
