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Cheers to Our Grads!
Congratulations to the UB Class of 2026 - your hard work has paid off!
Commencement 2026 is a around the corner! Check out images from previous celebrations, from ALANA and Lavender to the Toast and Commencement ceremonies!
UB is featuring special events and activities to help celebrate your achievement. We want to see it, share it and celebrate before your big day!
Check out a few of our annual countdown to commencement events, hosted by Student Engagement!
Tuesday, May 5
7:30–9:30 p.m.
Buffalo Battleground
Forever Blue Bash brings together Class of 2026 graduates and Class of 2025 alumni for a high-energy night of fun, connection, and UB True Blue pride before commencement weekend.
Join us at Buffalo Battleground to mark this milestone with arcade games, mini bowling, axe throwing, and laser tag. Whether you’re celebrating your graduation or reconnecting as recent alumni, this event is designed to build meaningful connections across classes and strengthen our UB Alumni Network.
Registration includes a buffet of party subs and soft drinks, so you can fuel up between games and conversations. A cash bar will also be available. This is your chance to celebrate achievements, swap stories, and kick off lifelong alumni connections in a fun, relaxed setting. Transportation from campus will be provided to ensure safe, easy, and equitable access for all participants.
Once a Bull, always a Bull— celebrate being Forever Blue with UB Alumni Engagement.
Wednesday, May 6
Each year we celebrate our graduating students with a champagne toast in their honor, complete with a special souvenir glass that is theirs to keep as a memento of this festive occasion!
Students who are eligible to participate in our Toast events will be emailed with a special link to sign up for a seating. Please keep in mind that these events will fill up fast and we are not always able to accommodate standbys on the day of.
We enjoy celebrating with you each year! Check out photos from the 2025 toast: 2025 UB Student Experience Instagram photo gallery.
We love seeing our students show off their UB pride and commemorate their time at UB by taking selfies around campus and with our mascot, Victor E. Bull! Follow @UBStudentExp on socials to see when Victor might be making appearances on campus! In the meantime, keep taking selfies around your favorite places on campus and share with us using the hashtag #UBClassOf2026!
Sign-A-Bull is a UB tradition that invites graduating students to leave their mark by signing a buffalo statue. Students who are graduating this year are able to sign the bull at one of our in-person events or virtually from wherever they are in the world! Just make sure to submit your name only once, as space is limited and each graduate may sign either in person or online - but not both!
Our Sign-A-Bulls can now be found online! For the last few years, Student Engagement has been partnering with a tech team to create digital versions of every signed bull, including the original bulls which can be found all over campus. This also allows us to offer a virtual signature option to graduating students who may not be able to make it to campus to leave their mark.
Check out the videos below for digital versions of our most recent graduating classes, and check back in the future for digital versions of all of our other graduating classes!
Sign the Bull In Person
Graduating students visited the Student Engagement office (150 Student Union) to sign the bull. Once we confirm that you are in the #UBClassOf2026, you'll be able to add your signature to the painted bull - no RSVP needed!
Sign the Bull Virtually
If you can’t make it to campus, use the virtual submission form below to add your signature to the digital bull. Submissions close at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 8.
Hosted by the Office of Alumni Engagement, participate in the annual graduation cap design contest for a chance to win prizes and a grand prize of a $250 UB Diploma Frame from Church Hill Classics for Best in Show. Check out the 2025 winners below!
Cap Decorating Events:
- Tuesday, April 21, 5-8 p.m. in the Harriman Ballroom
- Thursday, April 30, 2:30-5:30 p.m. in Student Union 145
- Monday, May 5, 3-6 p.m. in Student Union 215
Cap Decorating Contest:
Graduating students show off their creativity by decorating their caps for graduation. Join us for a cap decorating party and submit your own picture of your cap for our contest!
Check out the 2025 winners!
Questions About These Programs? Let Us Know!
Student Life
University at Buffalo
150 Student Union, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Email: Contact form
Phone: 716-645-6469