One Hundred and Twenty-Third
Commencement
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Commencement 2026
Elizabethtown College celebrated its 123rd Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 10 a.m. Both traditional and School of Graduate and Professional Studies candidates for degree conferral were recognized at this ceremony.
View Commencement Ceremony Recording
2026 Commencement Speaker
Tom Baldridge H'17
Nonprofit Business Leader
Tom Baldrige H’17, a nonprofit business leader and community advocate, served as Elizabethtown College’s 2026 Commencement speaker. Baldrige addressed the Class of 2026 during the College’s 123rd Commencement exercises on Saturday, May 9, at 10 a.m., in the Dell.
Baldrige has more than three decades of leadership experience in nonprofit and civic organizations. He is the current interim president and CEO of Pennon, the parent organization of WITF public media. He previously served as president and CEO of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and was named a recipient of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ Life Member Award in 2024. Baldrige has longstanding ties to Etown, and has served on the College’s Leadership Council and received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in 2017.
Read More About Tom Baldridge
“I am deeply honored to have been invited to address the Class of 2026. I have always been a great admirer of Elizabethtown College and their unique approach to education and community, and I look forward to sharing that admiration with the students, faculty, and family as they rightly celebrate their special day.”
-Tom Baldridge H'17
2026 Commencement Student Speaker
Alysse Smith '26
Biology, Health Professions Concentration & Spanish and Chemistry Minor | Silver Spring, Md.
Alysse Smith '26 served as the Commencement student speaker for the Class of 2026. A Biology major with a Health Professions concentration and minors in Spanish and Chemistry, Smith is an engaged leader on campus who is passionate about amplifying voices and inspiring meaningful change. She has served on executive cabinets for both the Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) and the Honors Program, and is actively involved as a Blue Jay Ambassador, Peer Mentor, Peer Tutor, and Ubuntu Mentor.
Read MoreCommencement 2026 Recap
Elizabethtown College held its 123rd Commencement Weekend celebrations, celebrating the accomplishments of traditional students and School of Graduate and Professional Studies students. Check out some of the highlights below.