UC Berkeley Civil and Environmental Engineering Class of 2026 celebrated over three commencement ceremonies this May, honoring more than 2,000 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree recipients. Family, friends, faculty, and staff gathered to recognize graduates as they completed their Berkeley journeys and prepared for the next chapter. The CEE community was especially proud to see two members of the CEE family recognized as keynote speakers for this year’s ceremonies.
CEE alum Reginald DesRoches (B.S.’90 ME, M.S.’92 CE, Ph.D.’97 CEE), president of Rice University, delivered the keynote address at the doctoral degree ceremony, while graduating senior Sarah Saadeh (B.S.’26 CE) addressed fellow graduates at the baccalaureate ceremony. In a brief interview with the Berkeley College of Engineering, DesRoches encouraged graduates to embrace challenges and opportunities ahead, sharing, “Don't be afraid to take risks. That's when you grow. Don't be afraid to fail. Go out and do it. You are well-prepared to change the world.”
Congratulations to the Class of 2026 on this milestone achievement. We look forward to seeing the impact this next generation of innovators, problem solvers, and leaders will make!
Read more: https://engineering.berkeley.edu/news/2026/05/berkeley-engineering-celebrates-class-of-2026