Class of 2026 Undergraduate Commencement (Photo Credit: Magali Gruet)
On May 15, 2026, more than 950 graduates walked the Galen Center’s stage at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering commencement ceremony, officially closing one chapter and opening another.
In his speech to the crowd of thousands, Dean Yannis C. Yortsos framed graduation as the start of a larger adventure: “America at 250 years old is an unfinished journey toward ideals that each generation must re-earn. You will be the most important part of this story. And the problems you will solve, in a human-centric, skillful, and ingenious way, will be what makes this nation come closer to its founding ideals. We will count on you. And we are certain that you will make us proud.”
Dean Yannis C. Yortsos delivering remarks at the 2026 Undergraduate Commencement (Photo Credit: Magali Gruet)
Yortsos quoted British quantum physicist David Deutsch, stating: “There will always be problems. But all problems are solvable.” However, he also challenged graduates to see themselves as more than technical experts. “At USC Viterbi, you learn that the world needs not only problem solvers; it also needs trustworthy problem solvers, those who combine competence with character. A trustworthy engineer is the world’s most powerful force for good.”
