Morehead State Spring 2026 Commencement is May 9
The commencement ceremonies for spring 2026 graduates will be held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, in the Academic-Athletic Center (AAC).
The 10 a.m. ceremony will recognize graduates from the Ernst & Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education and the College of Science & Engineering.
The 2 p.m. ceremony will recognize graduates from the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, and the Elmer R. Smith College of Business & Technology.
You may livestream the ceremonies on MSU's YouTube channel.
Ryan Holderby and Marcella Muadi Batubenga are the student speakers for the 2026 Spring Commencement ceremonies.
Ryan Holderby of Salyersville is the commencement speaker representing the Ernst & Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education. He is the son of Kevin Holderby (Class of 1999) and Amy Holderby, and brother of Trevor Holderby (Class of 2024). He will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Middle Grades Education (5-9) with a specialization in math and social studies.
A recipient of the Kentucky Educators Association Marvin Dodson-Clark Perkins Scholarship, Holderby served as vice president of the Appalachian Future Educators, the College of Education representative to the MSU Student Government Association and was involved with the Kentucky Education Association-Aspiring Educators. He completed educational experiences abroad in South Korea and Peru and was selected by the Kentucky Center for Mathematics to present conceptual math. He was also a substitute teacher for Morgan County Public Schools and served as the philanthropy chair of nationally recognized honors fraternity Phi Sigma Pi.
Marcella Muadi Batubenga of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the commencement speaker representing the Elmer R. Smith College of Business & Technology. She is the daughter of Laurent Batubenga and Lilie Mujinga, niece of Charles Ilebo and Lyly Kalanga, and the sister of Monica Batubenga. She will graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Healthcare Management.
Muadi Batubenga served in multiple roles within the campus community. She was president of the International Student Association and a member of the Methodist Student Center, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. She also served as a resident advisor for the Office of Student Housing, a student ambassador for the dean's office of the Smith College of Business & Technology, and as a Student Alumni Ambassador. Muadi Batubenga was also a resident advisor for the Upward Bound Program in 2025 and earned the 2026 Outstanding Management Student Award. Muadi Batubenga gained valuable experience at the UK St. Claire Hospital in Morehead, where she volunteered as the primary communication point for inpatients in 2025 and served as a student intern in human resources beginning in February 2026.
The Spring Commencement will include the commissioning of ROTC officers:
- Jeremy Russell Crawford – Ashland, KY
- Peyton Kelley Dandaneu – Richmond, KY
- Judah H. Hill – Morehead, KY
- Callie Jayde Robertson – Milton, WV
- Brycen Christopher Shepherd – Martin, KY
- Davin Jay Steele – Lexington, KY
- Samuel A. Williamson – Isonville, KY
The event does not require tickets for guests or graduates, and there is no limit on the number of guests who may attend. Guest seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, and the venue will not mandate social distancing. Department of Music & Theatre students and faculty will provide special music.
For more information on MSU's 2026 Spring Commencement, visit moreheadstate.edu/graduation.
