utk recognized approximately 1,780 degree candidates across three McKenzie Arena commencement ceremonies in May 2026, marking a broad finish to the Class of 2026. The class included students from 73 Tennessee counties, 29 states and 19 countries.
Chancellor said the university had “the opportunity to recognize approximately 1,780 degree candidates as they reached this important milestone.” He also said, “Thank you to everyone who helped make commencement such a meaningful and memorable celebration for the Class of 2026.”
Class of 2026 at McKenzie Arena
The commencement figures show the scale of the graduating class and the range of places it drew from. UTC said the Class of 2026 included 368 first-generation students, 503 Pell scholarship recipients and 35 students who have served or are currently serving in the military.
Those numbers place the ceremonies beyond a simple headcount. The university recognized students whose paths to graduation included family-first college attendance, financial aid support and military service, all within the same May ceremonies at McKenzie Arena.
Betsy Myers and Mocs Wellness
In the same update, the university thanked Betsy Myers, a Department of Physical Therapy professor, for her leadership in building the Mocs Wellness Initiative. The program brings together physical therapy, nutrition and health coaching.
UTC said the initiative supports employee well-being and gives students hands-on experience in collaborative care. Megan McKnight, the Center for Wellbeing director, is part of the story’s campus setting because the initiative connects classroom work with wellness services across the university.
Spring visits across UTC
The Chancellor also said he visited faculty and staff during the spring semester in several colleges and academic units, including the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Nursing, the College of Health, Education and Professional Studies, the UTC Library and areas within the College of Arts and Sciences. Those visits set the stage for the May ceremonies by tying the spring semester to the graduating class it produced.
Cheyenne Higgs, a UTC alum, earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in December 2025, a reminder that the university’s commencement cycle extends beyond a single day in May. For students waiting to cross the stage, the key fact is that UTC has already put a number on the class it recognized: about 1,780 candidates across three ceremonies.
