More than half of the 369 graduates earned academic honors, marking one of UOG’s most decorated classes.

The Class of Fañomnåkan 2026 includes 309 undergraduate and 60 graduate degree recipients — including 44 in criminal justice, 35 in nursing, 34 in business administration, 28 in biology, and 13 in civil engineering. The graduating class also includes future educators, scientists, public servants, social workers, healthcare professionals, and community leaders who will help meet the workforce needs across Guam, Micronesia, and the broader Pacific.

The ceremony also recognized six Guam-based graduates who earned Master of Social Work degrees through the longstanding University of Guam partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health. Since the partnership was established in 2012, 55 students have completed the graduate program while residing on Guam, helping expand the region's capacity in social services, behavioral health, and community care.

Academic excellence was also a hallmark of the Class of 2026. A total of 194 graduates earned academic honors, meaning more than half of the graduating class completed their studies with distinction.

Enriquez calls on graduates to lead with resilience and purpose

In her commencement address, UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez reflected on the challenges the Class of 2026 overcame during their academic journeys, including the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, super typhoons, family responsibilities, employment obligations, and the realities of everyday life.

"Your presence here today is proof that resilience is not something we talk about on Guam and our region — it is something we live," Enriquez told graduates.

She emphasized that the University's investments in academic programs, research opportunities, facilities, and partnerships are ultimately investments in the future workforce and future leaders of Guam and Micronesia.

"The world you are entering needs your strength," Enriquez said. "You are the educators, scientists, healthcare professionals, public servants, engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders who will strengthen Guam, Micronesia, and the Pacific."

Enriquez also recognized the inaugural graduating cohort of the Master of Science in Data Science program, noting that their projects in banking, education, marine biology, and public health demonstrate how innovation can emerge from local talent and local solutions.

Valedictorian reflects on finding community far from home

Valedictorian Chia-Chia Hsieh, a chemistry-biology dual degree graduate, reflected on her journey from Taiwan to Guam and the support system she found at UOG after arriving alone at age 16.

"There were many moments during my first few years when I felt lonely and uncertain about whether I truly belonged here," Hsieh said. "But over time, UOG became the place that helped me grow the most."

She credited faculty, classmates, and friends for helping create a sense of belonging and shared purpose, particularly during recent islandwide power outages that disrupted final exams, presentations, and projects.

"As someone far away from home, those moments reminded me that UOG was not simply a university," Hsieh said. "It was a community that genuinely cared about its students."

Drawing on the University's mission of Ina, Deskubre, Setbe — to enlighten, discover, and serve — Hsieh encouraged her fellow graduates to use their education in service of others.

"Success is not defined only by personal achievement," she said. "It is also defined by how we impact the lives of others."

Hsieh's undergraduate research focused on plants significant to Pacific Island communities, work that later led to a research internship at Academia Sinica in Taiwan. She said those experiences helped her understand the connections between science, culture, community, and service.

Hsieh's journey from Taiwan to Guam reflects the transformative role higher education can play in expanding opportunity across the region. After graduation, she will attend the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, where she plans to pursue a doctor of pharmacy degree and continue her commitment to improving health outcomes through pharmacy and public health.

Findley encourages graduates to dream beyond limitations

Commencement speaker Edwina Findley drew from her own life experiences and challenged graduates to reject limiting expectations, believe in possibilities beyond present circumstances, and pursue ambitious goals with courage, vision, and determination.

"Dare to dream and have the audacity to dream big," Findley told graduates.

Throughout her remarks, Findley, an award-winning actress, author, educator, and speaker, described success not as fame or recognition, but as using one's gifts and talents to make a difference in the lives of others.

"A star is a bright light in the midst of darkness, paving a way for others to follow," she said. "A star is someone who sees a vision and makes a decision to burst out of their comfort zone, who reaches for the sky and uses their life in service of someone else."

Using the example of a mango tree, Findley reminded graduates that meaningful growth often occurs long before results become visible.

"Under the surface is where the most important work happens," she said. "Your roots are being built and growing so deep and so strong that when your fruit finally comes, there is nothing that can hold you back."

She concluded by urging graduates to use their education in service of their communities and to help create opportunities for those who follow.

"The needs are real. The work is urgent. And you are the answer."

The Class of Fañomnåkan 2026 joins a growing network of Triton alumni who have already answered that call — more than 22,000 alumni are serving in Guam, Micronesia, and communities around the world.

The commencement ceremony was livestreamed and will remain available for replay on the University's official YouTube channel and Facebook page.