2026 Commencement
The Smith School's Spring 2026 commencement ceremonies will be at the Xfinity Center on May 19, 2026. The undergraduate ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. and the graduate ceremony will begin at 6 p.m.
Undergraduate livestream Graduate livestream Download Program
Commencement Speakers
Undergraduate Commencement
Beatriz “Bea” Perez ’91 will deliver the keynote address at the 2026 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on May 19. Perez is Executive Vice President and Global Chief Communications, Sustainability and Strategic Partnerships Officer for The Coca-Cola Company and Chair, The Coca-Cola Foundation.
In her role, Perez oversees partnerships and stewards global communications and sustainability leadership for Coca-Cola. She plays a key role in driving business objectives to support brands, communities and partners worldwide. She leads strategic direction and business performance for the company's retail footprint and licensing assets, including the archives. Perez has also led strategic marketing assets, including partnerships with the International Olympic Committee and FIFA.
She previously served as Chief Marketing Officer for Coca-Cola North America, where she built some of the Company’s most historic entertainment and sports relationships. Perez began her career at the Company in 1994 and held various roles in brand management and field operations before becoming CMO.
As a marketing student at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, Perez said she built a foundation of data analytics, and that, combined with her approach of listening, learning and asking the right questions before reaching a conclusion or determining the course of action, is the basis of her success.
“I realized that Maryland's marketing and business programs put science at the center and used data and analytics to help us become better business people. We didn’t just use gut instinct to make decisions, and I value that,” Perez said in an interview with Smith from 2023.
She has been recognized for her work with many accolades, including being inducted as a member of the American Advertising Hall of Fame, the Sports Business Journal's Hall of Fame and the PR Week Hall of Fame. In 2023, she was awarded “She Runs It” Women of the Year and will receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in May 2026.
Perez is a committed advocate for community engagement and serves in various leadership positions for several not-for-profit organizations, including the board of trustees of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Historical Society and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and was previously Chair of the GRAMMY Foundation. She is a public director for Primerica and W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Graduate Commencement
The keynote speaker for the Graduate Ceremony will be Göran Espelund, MBA ’87. Espelund is renowned for his work, spending decades to shape the Swedish investment landscape.
When considering graduate school, Espelund had options as a Fulbright Scholar from Sweden. He received offers from five U.S. programs, but he chose the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business for its close-knit community and proximity to Washington, D.C.
“Getting my MBA here was life-changing,” he said during a 2020 interview with Smith. “That learning experience and camaraderie are with me still today.”
Espelund also recalls the mentorship he received from professors, who pushed him to participate in class. “I could barely speak in front of people coming here,” he said. “I improved a lot.” Most of all, Espelund credits Smith for introducing him to his wife, Cristina (Mencia) Espelund ’85, MBA ’88.
After finishing their overlapping graduate programs, the couple settled in Sweden.
After a 12-year career at Robur, Sweden’s largest mutual fund manager, Göran and his partners launched Lannebo Fonder, an active equity fund management firm that helps clients beat the market while staying true to the principles of responsible investment. Göran served as the CEO for many years before transitioning to Executive Chairman of the Board.
In Feb 2024, the company was sold to Öhman Asset Management, creating the largest privately owned fund management company in the Nordic countries.
Today, Göran and Cristina are engaged in their family office, investing in both private and public companies in combination with their philanthropic activities. He remains involved with Smith as a member of the Dean’s Board of Advisors.
“As a member of the Smith community,” he said, “I’m getting more than I’m possibly giving.”
Tickets
Campus Ceremony
Tickets are required for all graduates and their guests. More information can be found on the UMD Commencement website.
Smith School
Tickets are not required for the Smith School ceremonies.
Location and Parking
Commencement will be held at the XFINITY Center on campus. General guest parking is in lots 4, 6, 9 and 11. Anyone with an ADA permit or otherwise needing accessible parking should park on the 2nd floor of Terrapin Trail Garage. Drivers should go in through the middle entrance of the garage.
View directions for:
Please note that some items are prohibited in the XFINITY Center, including balloons, noisemakers, strollers, and backpacks.
Guidelines for Graduates and Guests
Undergraduate Ceremony
- 1 p.m. – Graduates and guests should arrive at the XFINITY Center to participate in and view the graduate procession, which will begin before the start of the 2 p.m. ceremony.
- Graduates should report to the Stephen M. Schanwald Pavilion at the XFINITY Center (Room 0601, located on the southeast end) to line up for the procession.
- Tickets are not required for guests attending the Smith School ceremony.
- Regalia must be worn at commencement. For more information on regalia and cap decorating, visit the University of Maryland commencement FAQ page. Please review the prohibited items list for decoration guidelines.
- Prohibited items at the XFINITY Center include balloons, noisemakers, strollers and backpacks. XFINITY Center bag policy and additional venue information.
- All attendees are asked to remain for the entire ceremony, so each graduate can receive full recognition.
- Concession stands at the XFINITY Center will be open throughout commencement day.
- Traffic on campus and surrounding roads and highways will be heavy during commencement. The university recommends that graduates and guests attending ceremonies at the XFINITY Center avoid traveling through the center of campus and enter via Route 193.
- The Smith School’s spring commencement ceremony will be streamed live online.
Graduate Ceremony
- 5 p.m. – Graduate and guest arrival at the XFINITY Center.
- Graduates should report to the Stephen M. Schanwald Pavilion at the XFINITY Center (Room 0601, located on the southeast end) to check in, receive their name card, and line up by program for the procession.
- 5:30 p.m. – Graduate procession begins.
- 6 p.m. – Ceremony begins.
- Tickets are not required for guests attending the Smith School ceremony.
- All graduates must wear official regalia, available for purchase at the University Bookstore. For details on regalia and cap decorating, visit the University of Maryland commencement FAQ page. Please also review the prohibited items list for decoration guidelines.
- Prohibited items at the XFINITY Center include balloons, noisemakers, strollers and backpacks.
- All attendees are asked to remain for the entire ceremony, so each graduate can receive full recognition.
- There is no storage available for personal items. Graduates should avoid bringing bags or purses, as they must be carried throughout the ceremony.
- Concession stands at the XFINITY Center will be open throughout commencement day.
- Traffic on campus and in surrounding areas is expected to be heavy. Graduates and guests attending ceremonies at the XFINITY Center should enter campus via Route 193 and avoid entrances on Baltimore Avenue.
- The Smith School’s spring commencement ceremony will be streamed live online.
Accessibility
Guests with limited mobility should park in the Terrapin Trail Garage. Wheelchair-accessible seating is available at the top of Section 120. XFINITY Center staff will be available near the garage entrance to help direct guests to Section 120.
Guests who need access to the ASL interpreter should sit in the first few rows of Section 114. XFINITY Center staff will reserve the first three rows for guests using this service.
Regalia Information
Academic regalia is the traditional attire for degree candidates participating in college, school and department convocations, as well as the university-wide commencement ceremony.
Ceremony Eligibility Guidelines
Students who completed all degree requirements during the summer 2025 and fall 2025 semesters, and students who will complete all degree requirements during the spring 2026 semester, are eligible to participate in the Smith School and main commencement ceremonies in May 2026.
Per university guidelines, students in the Robert H. Smith School of Business who will complete all degree requirements by August 2026, instead of May 2026, may request permission to participate in the May Smith School commencement ceremony and main campus ceremony by completing the online request form below. Approved August 2026 graduates will not appear in the university commencement program until the May 2027 ceremonies.