The 2026 commencement ceremony at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs was a celebration for graduates, but also a call for them to be leaders in finding solutions to the complex issues facing the world and advancing the common good.
Some 140 master’s graduates and two doctoral candidates celebrated the completion of their degrees along with an enthusiastic crowd of faculty, staff, family and friends at the May 16 ceremony at Ted Mann Concert Hall at the University of Minnesota.
Speakers at the ceremony told the graduates their leadership is urgently needed as seemingly intractable global issues like climate change, poverty and political polarization continue to worsen.
Graduates were also reminded that their education at the Humphrey School has prepared them to meet those challenges.
Dean Nisha Botchwey said they have become strong leaders because of their focus on building community across differences and learning to lead with courage and compassion.
“Your time at the Humphrey School has unfolded during a moment that has often felt uncertain and deeply personal, here in Minnesota and across the country. We have been reminded that public life is not abstract. Policies affect people. Leadership affects communities. And the choices we make for and alongside one another matter,” Botchwey said. “And through all of it, I have watched you continue to show up, and thus build trust. That is leadership. Not only the kind practiced in public office or on a stage, but the kind practiced every day in community.”
“You have learned how to lead through complexity. You have learned how to remain grounded in your values while navigating difficult questions. And you have learned how to continue building community, even in moments that ask a great deal of us. That is public leadership. And our world needs it. Our communities need it. We need it. We need you.”
Watch video of the ceremony See photos
Highlights:
Keynote speaker Michael Rodriguez (MA ‘95)
Rodriguez is chancellor of the University of Minnesota Morris. He was appointed to that position in January after serving as dean of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities for five years.
In his remarks, Rodriguez continued the theme of leadership and community. For him, it began with his background as a fifth-generation Minnesotan and the first in his family to go to college: he earned his bachelor's degree at UM Morris. Rodriguez said he carries with him the knowledge of his ancestors’ challenges in providing for succeeding generations, including his.
“Whatever success I have had in life has never been mine alone. None of us arrive here by ourselves,” he said, reminding the graduates that they now have a responsibility to those who follow them.
To illustrate the point, he shared an anecdote from his early days as interim dean of CEHD in 2020, shortly after the pandemic had effectively shut down the campus. At that time, Rodriguez wasn’t interested in pursuing the permanent dean position.
That changed after he ran into a friend, another Latino professional, while walking across campus.
“He asked me how the new interim dean role was going. Then he noted that I was the highest-ranking Latino at the University of Minnesota. I took a step back and said I hadn’t even had a moment to realize that, being so busy managing operations throughout the early days of the pandemic. Then he said, ‘Well, it matters to us!’
“That’s when I was reminded, in such a simple way, that being dean is bigger than me. Leadership is bigger than just one person — it is a community effort. Being dean is about being in community. Being a leader is about community. And that recognition matters deeply for public servants who are extraordinary. Public service, at its core, is about understanding that none of us thrive alone.
“No generation begins from scratch. We inherit institutions, communities, and unfinished work from those who came before us. Our responsibility is not to achieve perfection. Our responsibility is stewardship. And stewardship requires both ambition and humility: the ambition to strive for something better, and the humility to recognize that real progress is collective.
“Public leadership is rarely linear, but something extraordinary can be achieved in simple ways. Not every action will make headlines. Not every contribution will be visible. But the work matters nonetheless.
“Now it is your turn. Your turn to build trust. Your turn to invest in others. Your turn to strengthen communities. Your turn to help others feel seen, heard, and valued. Your turn to carry forward the sacrifices and hopes of those who made your journey possible. Your turn to secure opportunities for those who will follow after you. As graduates of the Humphrey School, you are already extraordinary.”
Student speaker Jillian Krinsky (MURP ‘26)
Krinsky, who received her Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree, was chosen by the graduating class to deliver the student address.
Krinsky’s message was tinged with humor but carried a similar challenge for her fellow grads: to work toward a better world with the same sense of community they found at the Humphrey School.
“As we have found ourselves pursuing higher education, asking the questions that make us uncomfortable, we are making a promise to this world — the world that birthed us, shaped us, and spat us out on the other side of this concert hall — to pursue and provide a greater place of equality, equity, inclusion, and benefit for all.
“I, alongside many of you, chose Humphrey because I sensed a ferocious tenacity that I had not seen in other schools. I saw how my professors' pedagogy enabled attitudes of exploration and change, not just of expertise and prescription. The joy of a public affairs and policy school meant that community was at the forefront of how I approach every facet of my life.”
[In response to immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis] “My admiration of the camaraderie that all of my classmates, professors, and community members have provided extends far beyond the classroom. To watch our streets with only a camera and whistle is admirable. To feed, clothe, and care for your neighbors is an act of resistance. To approach wicked problems and make you rack your brain is an act of resilience. Wearing this graduate regalia is an act of resistance to violent forces. Thus, to fight for a world in which the banality of evil and the heartbreak of loss is no more — is resilience.
“I bring the words of author Ursula Le Guin to ignite hope into this room. ‘You cannot buy the revolution. You cannot make the revolution. You can only be the revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere.’ Let me repeat that. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere. To all listening, in Minnesota, the Midwest, the States, and beyond: keep a fire lit in your hearts and souls. And if you have not felt it before, it is never too late to start. We do not leave Humphrey finished; we leave here responsible for the next many generations.”
Alumni Speaker Adam Chelseth (MPP ‘14)
Chelseth is the past president of Humphrey School Alumni Board, and current vice chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council.
Chelseth welcomed the graduates as new alumni, while also urging them to use their knowledge, expertise, and passion to address the problems facing society today. While acknowledging that they can’t solve all of them, Chelseth urged them to act on the issues that are most important to them.
“We have — from what this school gives us — immense power to take action and build the future, not only for ourselves, but also for our friends, and our families, and our communities, and the generations of students who’ll follow in our footsteps.
“We must never, ever forget that power, and use it — use it every day, as much as we can — to make a world we are proud to inhabit and one that reflects the values of this exceptional place.
“So congratulations, every one of you, and I hope that we seek out, and support, and sustain each other — fellow graduates of the Humphrey School — in all of the years to come, no matter what they might bring.”
End-of-year awards
Prior to the commencement ceremony, the Humphrey School hosted an awards luncheon to recognize students from each master's degree program for their academic excellence, as well as instructors and teaching assistants for their contributions to the Humphrey School learning community.
