The NC State College of Education welcomed more than 370 new alumni during the Spring 2026 graduation ceremony on May 8, 2026. Below is a recap of the event.

Number of Graduating Students: 372 students graduated from the College of Education on May 8, including 35 doctoral students, 147 master’s students and 190 undergraduate students.

Charge to the Graduate Students: ‘Consider Your Education as a Life-long, Never-ending Process’

John Hensley, who earned a Ph.D. in the Teacher Education and Learning Sciences social studies education concentration, delivered the charge to the graduate students. He called upon his fellow graduates to look beyond goals and rewards and to focus on the pursuit of a meaningful life. 

“When you focus on the process instead of the destination, you eliminate that empty feeling and you replace it with telos,’ which is Greek for a sense of purpose,” he said. “That is the charge I lay before you – to consider your education as a life-long, never-ending process, a journey undertaken in which you will never arrive at a final destination.”

Although their educational journey is endless, Hensley said, it does not need to be aimless and he encouraged the Class of 2026 to find their “target star” to serve as a guide and reminder along the way. 

During his time in the College of Education, he said he saw the use of a “target star” among every student, faculty and staff member he encountered as they made efforts to offer support, provided encouraging words and helped him to the finish line of graduation without expecting anything in return.

“My call to action for you then is to adopt the target star I saw here consistently in the College of Education which is to begin each day with the question: ‘Who can I help? And in helping others, never lose sight of the fact that we are all ends unto ourselves,” Hensley said. “As educators, we are so well-placed to help others. You have the ability and the skills to support someone on their endless eudaimonic journey as they endeavor to find their purpose.”

Charge to Undergraduate Students: ‘This Profession Is Sacred’

Josh Webb, a Transformational Scholar who earned a bachelor’s degree in middle grades English language arts education, delivered the charge to undergraduate students. In speaking to his fellow graduates, he recalled a specific moment during his student teaching experience in Edgecombe County; the same county where he grew up. 

A student, he said, approached his desk to ask, “Mr. Webb, why would you ever want to teach somewhere like here?” The moment of vulnerability and honesty from the student, Webb said, reminded him just how important the role of a teacher can be in a student’s life. 

“They were telling me, with a single question, that enough adults had walked in and out of their lives without really caring, without really seeing them for who they were,” Webb said. “That moment didn’t just challenge me. It reminded me of something I think we all need to carry with us today: this profession is sacred. We are not just called to teach. We are also called to show up consistently so that students begin to believe someone will.”

Webb also spoke about the key to education–both literally and figuratively.

He said every teacher he has spoken to remembers clearly the moment they were handed their first set of keys to their own classroom and how that key symbolizes a transfer of trust and an unspoken agreement between teachers and every student who passes through those doors. 

“So, when we are trusted with those keys, we need to be ready to put in the work and expand access and success for every learner. Not someday. Not eventually. Not when the conditions are perfect. But now and every day, because greatness does not happen in the absence of challenge but rather in the midst of it,” Webb said. 

Dean Paola Sztajn: ‘Your Accomplishments Will Make Our Future Extraordinary’

College of Education Dean Paola Sztajn encouraged the Class of 2026 to always remember the power of education and the role that educators have played in each of their lives. While celebrating the graduates, she also led a moment of applause for those teachers, mentors, counselors and administrators who helped them along the way. 

Sztajn also reminded graduates that, as they head out to their future careers, they remain part of a long and impactful College of Education legacy. 

“Our College of Education will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. You have been part of a rich, long history of this college preparing the very best. And you will help shape the next 100 years,” she said. “Your stories, your ambitions and your accomplishments will make our future extraordinary.”

Recognizing Our Retiring Faculty

During the graduation ceremony, Sztajn also took a moment to recognize four faculty members who will be retiring from the College of Education, thanking them “for everything you have done to make our college, our university and our community a better place.”

The following retiring faculty members were honored during the event:

• Diane Chapman, a teaching professor in educational leadership, policy, and human development, who has been affiliated with the college for nearly 25 years and is also NC State’s associate vice provost for faculty development. 
• Ken Ender, a professor of practice in community college leadership who is retiring after about a decade with the college and who played a key role in laying the foundation for our Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research. 
• Jose Picart, a professor of counseling education with the college for over 20 years, who was also instrumental to the success of our Friday Institute for Educational Innovation.
• Patricia Marshall, a professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences who has been with the college for over 35 years. “Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Marshall has been committed to equitable and multicultural education, and she has brought much thoughtfulness and key insights into our work as educators, holding us accountable as we try to live out our vision to expand educational access and success for all,” Sztajn said.

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