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HIGH POINT, N.C., May 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — High Point University celebrated the Class of 2026 and honored more than 1,000 undergraduate students who crossed the stage today during two Commencement ceremonies inside the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center.
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HPU President Nido Qubein welcomed graduates and their thousands of friends and family members to the arena for the first Commencement ceremony, which started at 9 a.m. and was followed by a second ceremony at 2:30 p.m. The need for two ceremonies to recognize all of the students who earned their bachelor’s degree this spring reflects HPU’s incredible growth over the past two decades.
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HPU will confer more than 1,700 undergraduate and graduate degrees across all ceremonies during the 2025-2026 academic year. This is the most degrees that the university has conferred in one academic year in its 102-year history.
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“Graduates, I spoke to you on Convocation Day. You’ve traveled a journey, and here you are four years later to receive your undergraduate degree,” Qubein said. “We’re very proud of your accomplishments, and we salute you this day as the future ambassadors of this university.”
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Former Walmart International CEO Shares Message with Graduates
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Qubein introduced this year’s Commencement speaker, Kathryn McLay, whose last official day as president and CEO of Walmart International and Sam’s Club was on May 1. Named Walmart International’s CEO in 2023, she led a team that includes more than 500,000 associates, who serve 80 million customers in 18 countries every week. She announced her decision to step down from her position at Walmart earlier this year.
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Before her speech, Qubein presented McLay with an Honorary Doctorate of Business Leadership.
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McLay told the new graduates about her struggles at age 16 with presenting a public speech and her early goals for what she wanted to accomplish in her career.
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“It’s been an amazing ride, far better than the little plans that I had,” McLay said. “I could not have strategized my way into the life that I have lived. All I could control was effort and attitude. Although I started with little plans, I have been blessed to have lived a big life. So given the occasion, it seems appropriate to share a few observations from along the way. I came up with five reflections from my five decades on this planet.”
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- It’s not about you.
- It’s the little decisions that build character.
- Success is underrated. Failure is a way to learn.
- Laugh boldly and from your belly. It’s a great equalizer.
- Be an ordinary person who gets to do extraordinary things.
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McLay told the audience that people kept asking her how she was feeling as her tenure as Walmart International’s CEO was coming to an end. She said she understood why they were asking her this question. Change, after all, is hard.
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“You can’t have new beginnings without endings, and all endings are a little difficult,” McLay said. “You are here today eager for what’s next, but also melancholy about what you’re leaving behind because graduation is an ending, too — a big one.”
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