Several hundred students will join the esteemed ranks of East Texas A&M University alums at summer commencement ceremonies scheduled for August 7 and 8 at the University Field House.

In total, 768 Lions are set to graduate, an increase of 12 graduates over Summer 2025. Three ceremonies are scheduled across two days, with graduate-level students walking the stage on Friday, August 7, and undergraduates on Saturday, August 8.

Graduates by the numbers

Here are a few stats about East Texas A&M's Summer 2026 graduating class:

• Total number of graduates – 768
• Age of youngest graduate – 19
• Age of oldest graduate – 64
• How many U.S. states do our graduates represent? – 27
• How many countries do our graduates represent? – 7
• How many graduates are first-gen college students? – 343
• How many graduates are international students? – 21
• How many are graduating with academic distinction? – 404

A list of impactful speakers

Two graduating Lions and an East Texas business owner will take the podium to speak to assembled crowds at the ceremonies.

• Scott Glover, founder of the Mid America Flight Museum and owner of Huey's Coffee: Glover is a Texas-based entrepreneur and aviation enthusiast best known for founding the Mid-America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Texas. After building success in the pet food industry, he used his resources to pursue his passion for aviation, beginning to collect vintage aircraft in the 1990s. Over time, his collection grew into one of the largest privately owned collections of historic warbirds and classic planes in the region, leading to the establishment of the museum in 2013. Glover also launched Huey's Coffee in 2022. The company includes eight coffee shops across Texas and Ohio.
• Maegon Courtney, Bachelor of Business Administration graduate: Born and raised in Pineville, Louisiana, Maegon Courtney made the life-changing decision to move to Texas in pursuit of a brighter future for herself and her son. After experiencing the heartbreaking losses of both her mother and grandmother, Maegon found the strength to return to school. Inspired by her mother's unwavering belief in her potential to earn multiple college degrees, she remained determined to fulfill that dream. Maegon earned an Associate of Arts with a Field of Study in Business Administration and Management from Dallas College before transferring to East Texas A&M University, where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. Her dedication to academic excellence earned her recognition on the President's Scholars List and the Dean's List. Following graduation, Maegon plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Management and build a career in nonprofit leadership, with the long-term goal of establishing her own nonprofit to positively impact underserved communities.
• Jackie Hodges, Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences graduate: Hodges is graduating with a degree in Human Resource Development. She works full-time as a payroll and benefits specialist with Athens ISD while balancing family life. Jackie has been married to her husband, David, for 26 years, and together they have two daughters, Maci and Sadi. She pursued her degree to show her girls that it is never too late to reach their goals and achieve their dreams. After graduation, she plans to continue working at Athens ISD until retirement, focusing on making a positive impact in her workplace and community.

Ceremony details

Each commencement ceremony takes place inside the University Field House, located at 1804 Lee Street, Commerce, Texas 75428. Parking for guests is available in Lots 1, 2, 3 and 5. Guests or graduates who require accessible parking may park in Lot 4.

For those unable to attend, each ceremony will be live-streamed free of charge on YouTube.

Below is info on each ceremony:

• Graduate student ceremony (all colleges) – Friday, Aug. 7 at 4 p.m. – [Live stream link]
• Undergraduate ceremony 1 (College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, College of Business, College of Education and Human Services, College of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts, College of Science and Engineering) – Saturday, Aug. 8 at 9 a.m. – [Live stream link]
• Undergraduate ceremony 2 (College of Innovation and Design) – Saturday, Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. – [Live stream link]

Find parking maps, guest information and more in our online graduation guide.