College of Information Science Celebrates Class of 2026 in First InfoSci Convocation at McKale Center

The College of Information Science celebrated 600 spring and summer graduates on May 14, marking a milestone for students, families and the college itself with its first convocation ceremony at McKale Center at ALKEME Arena.

Of the 600 students graduating from the college this spring and summer, 400 participated in convocation, including more than 70 virtually. As graduates, faculty, families and friends filled the arena, the morning began with a personal touch: a pre-ceremony slideshow featuring photos submitted by InfoSci students from their time at the University of Arizona. Images of on- and off-campus moments and milestones offered a look back before graduates stepped toward what comes next.

Convocation recognized graduates across the PhD, master’s and bachelor’s programs and reflected on the growth of the College of Information Science following the integration of the College of Applied Science in Technology in July 2025. The college now serves more than 4,000 students as the university’s sixth largest academic college.

In her welcoming remarks, Interim Dean Catherine Brooks encouraged graduates to recognize both the challenges they navigated and the opportunities ahead. “You didn’t just keep up with change. You learned how to navigate it. And that matters,” Brooks said, reminding graduates that their degrees carry more than technical expertise. “This isn’t just a degree. It’s responsibility. It’s opportunity. And it’s impact." 

Brooks emphasized that information science sits at the center of how people connect, communicate and solve problems, and challenged graduates to remain grounded in human relationships as they move into careers and communities: “Stay curious. Stay thoughtful. Stay connected to people, not just platforms.”
  

Student speakers also reflected on the experiences that shaped their journeys at the U of A and College of Information Science.

Graduate student speaker Robert Delfs, who earned a Master of Science in Cyber and Information Operations and was selected as the college’s Outstanding Graduate Student, spoke about rediscovering possibility in familiar places. “Sometimes discovery is not about leaving the place you know,” he said. “Sometimes it’s about learning to see that place, and yourself, with new eyes.”

Delfs reflected on how his program reshaped his perspective on his work and future: “Education does more than give us knowledge,” he said. “It changes the way we see.”

Undergraduate speaker Brooke Hesse, a Bachelor of Science in Information Science graduate who was one of two winners of the InfoSci Outstanding Senior Award, focused on the people and experiences that define a college journey. In reflecting on what she would tell her first-year self, she said, “The people she meets along the way are going to matter more than she could possibly believe.”

Looking back on four years at the U of A, she realized the most lasting memories are often not classes or deadlines, but relationships: “I think the things we’ll remember most are the people.”

As graduates crossed the stage and celebrated with family and friends in that joyous, raucous and iconic arena, the ceremony marked the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of new chapters. It also marked the beginning of another role: U of A and InfoSci alumni. The College of Information Science remains a community for life—one that values the connections, collaborations and stories students continue to build long after leaving campus.

“I think it all turned out better than we could have imagined,” Hesse said.
  

Watch the Ceremony

View Photos from Convocation