Kettering University celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 during its Commencement Ceremony on June 20 at the historic Atwood Stadium. The ceremony marked the culmination of years of rigorous study and hands-on professional experience for a class entering the workforce at a transformative moment for engineering, computing, mobility, and artificial intelligence.
Delivering the Commencement address was alumnus Qasar Younis '04, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Intuition. A graduate of Kettering University’s Mechanical Engineering program, Younis began his professional career through the University’s cooperative education program before helping build companies at the leading edge of software, intelligent machines, and physical AI.
Reflecting on his own path from Kettering to entrepreneurship, he challenged graduates to embrace change and pursue opportunity with purpose: “Run towards uncertainty, because that is where the opportunity lies. Go to the centers of industry and create technology that does not control us, but serves us. Build your own life, one where you are not just the byproduct of the whims of others, but the master of your own destiny.”
University President Dr. Robert K. McMahan reinforced that message in his Commencement Address, emphasizing that Kettering graduates are prepared to make an immediate impact because their education is built on demonstrated experience as much as academic achievement.
As he told the Class of 2026, “Your time at Kettering was never simply preparation. It was, by design, an acceleration—an education measured not just in understanding, but in demonstrated capability and mastery.”
Student Commencement Speaker Adria Dixon of Bloomfield Hills earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. An Honors Program student, she distinguished herself through leadership with the Society of Women Engineers, IEEE, Kettering Student Government, and the Board of Trustees Academic Committee.
Addressing her classmates, Dixon reflected on the resilience they developed throughout their Kettering experience: “We've already proven something powerful. We didn't just adapt. We learned how to thrive in uncertainty, and that is what will set us apart.”
Following graduation, she will begin her career as an Electrical Engineer with her Co-op employer, Stryker.
The celebration began the evening before Commencement with the Celebration of Distinguished Scholars, recognizing outstanding graduates, including:
Allison McGraw, Outstanding Thesis Award Winner B.S. Chemical Engineering, Macomb, Michigan McGraw earned the 2026 Outstanding Thesis Award for research exploring the incorporation of sustainable, bio-based materials into widely used industrial products while maintaining the performance standards required by manufacturers.
Her work addresses the challenge of advancing sustainability without compromising quality, reliability, or effectiveness. Through creativity, technical expertise, and persistence, she developed solutions with the potential to contribute to more sustainable manufacturing practices.
President's Medalists: Students who have demonstrated excellence in cooperative employment, scholarship, and community engagement.
Deondre C. Blair
Donald Charles Blalock
Ryan Joseph Bolduc
Giovanni James Cavataio
Adria Anne Dixon
Titus Junior Francis
Allison Catherine McGraw
Cole Joshua Thomas
Sobey Scholars: Students who have been inducted into an academic honor society and Kettering's Robot Society.
Stephen Josiah Alexander
Carly M. Baier
Natalie Grace Collins
Adria Anne Dixon
Titus Junior Francis
Kayla Elizabeth Hughes
Allison Catherine McGraw
Jamie Atlas Robbins
Summa Cum Laude Awardees: Students who have earned a grade point average of 3.90 or higher.
Jasmine Jade Alexus Adamson
Inti H. Aguilar Ornelas
Trevor Alexander Arcieri
Carly M. Baier
Deondre C. Blair
Donald Charles Blalock
Ryan Joseph Bolduc
Olivia Marie Brothers
Alex Michael Castle
Giovanni James Cavataio
Joseph M. Chreiki
Madison Marilyn Clapp
Isabella Mina Coleman
Adria Anne Dixon
Evan Matthew Eastman
Jonathan Henry Eby
Titus Junior Francis
Liam P. Franklin
Scott Andrew Frederick
Grant Marcus Gergen
Alexander W. Horetski
Kayla Elizabeth Hughes
Dean Francis Kalebjian
Joseph Matthew Kowalski
Nicholas Stanley Learman
Christopher Ryan Marsack
Miranda Judith Martin
John Connor McCarty
Allison Catherine McGraw
Jacob A. Morrison
Grace Xiaoxiao Pulley
Douglas Richard Ray
Andrew Dominic Ricard
Moritz William Richter
Joseph Alexander Rode
Lancealot Alexander Rounds
Ella Paige Ryan
Andrew Dawson Sirois
Kirsten Ellen Smith
Christa G. Spencer
Ansh Raj Suryavanshi
Cole Joshua Thomas
Timothy J. Vokal
Dexter Ray Woods III
In closing, President McMahan underscored the momentum the graduates have built through their Kettering education:
“And now, Class of 2026, you are not waiting to begin. You are already in motion, moving into industries ready for your contributions, stepping into roles that demand your professional judgment, advancing toward a future that will be shaped in no small part by your skills. You have shown that meaningful progress builds over time and that true momentum carries you forward with purpose. Congratulations!”
