Welcome graduates, families, and friends!
Join family, friends, faculty members and classmates at Foster graduation celebrations, where the Foster School will honor undergraduate and graduate degree recipients. Find program-specific details for each graduation event below.
Foster celebrations are separate from the University of Washington Commencement Ceremony, which is on June 13, 2026.
Undergraduate Graduation Ceremony
The date of the 2026 Foster Undergraduate Graduation will be Sunday, June 7, 2026. The ceremony will take place from 1-3pm in Alaska Airlines Arena in Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
The Foster Undergraduate Graduation Celebration will be live streamed here.
How to walk in the Foster Undergraduate Graduation Celebration:
1) Apply to Graduate by the April 17 deadline. We can only put those who have officially applied to graduate with the registrar into the program. You apply to graduate with your Assigned Adviser in Foster.
2) RSVP for the Foster Undergraduate Graduation Celebration. The RSVP form will open early in spring quarter. If you applied to graduate, a registration link will be sent to your email. The deadline to RSVP to walk in the ceremony is Friday, May 29 at 11:59 pm.* (RSVP before Friday, May 1 to be included in the printed program.)
*Students who have not registered via the Foster RSVP form cannot participate in the event. Late registrations will not be accepted. Attendance will be taken at check-in.
Read our 2026 Graduation Celebration FAQs (PDF) (Google Doc) for more event details.
MAILED GRADUATION INVITATIONS
Students can request one complementary printed Foster invitation card mailed to you or your family. The signup deadline is Friday, May 1, 2026. (The link to the request form will be in the confirmation email when you register for the Foster Graduation event.)
You can also order personal graduation announcements from UW: uw.edu/graduation/virtual-graduation-fair
2026 Keynote Speaker
Sunny Gupta is a technology entrepreneur, software investor, and company builder with more than two decades of experience transforming how enterprises think about technology.
He is best known as the co-founder and CEO of Apptio, where he pioneered an entirely new category of software — helping organizations manage and optimize their technology investments. Sunny guided Apptio from a startup idea all the way through a 2016 IPO, a nearly $2 billion private equity acquisition in 2019, and ultimately a landmark sale to IBM in 2023 for nearly $5 billion, one of the largest software transactions in IBM’s history.
Today, Sunny is a software investor and company builder. As the founder of Generative Capital, a private equity firm focused on AI transformation, he is helping software companies reimagine themselves for the age of AI. He played a central role in taking Smartsheet private in 2025 and serves as its Executive Chairman. He also serves on the board of Gradial.
Beyond the boardroom, Sunny is a board advisor to the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and is deeply committed to causes in education and cancer research.
Sunny holds a degree in computer science from University of South Carolina (now Coastal Carolina University). In 2026, he received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Coastal Carolina University. He lives in Sun Valley, Idaho with his wife, Prerna. They have two grown children — Zubin, a recent Foster School graduate, and Zoe, currently a junior at the University of Washington.
2026 Student Speaker
Eleri Lyon is a graduating senior at the Foster School of Business with a degree in Finance and Marketing. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Shanghai, China, she brings a global perspective shaped by her experience navigating different cultures and ways of thinking.
At Foster, Eleri distinguished herself through leadership and a deep commitment to building meaningful communities. She served as President of Delta Sigma Pi and co-founded the UW Product Management Association, the first RSO of its kind at the University of Washington.
Driven to expand her worldview, Eleri sought out international opportunities throughout her time at Foster. She represented the University of Washington at an international case competition in Budapest, Hungary, completed her first internship in her hometown of Shanghai at Control Risks, and traveled across Ireland through a business program focused on culture and the global business environment.
Beyond campus, Eleri translates her curiosity into professional impact. She worked on Highspot’s Community Marketing team and interned at Creative Artists Agency in New York, one of the world’s premier talent and entertainment agencies. Currently, she works at Creative Destruction Lab as an Event Operations Specialist, connecting founders, mentors, and industry leaders within the entrepreneurship community. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in marketing with a focus on events and brand strategy, continuing to combine creativity, community, and impact in everything she does.
How does student speaker selection work?
- Graduating seniors participating in the 2026 Foster Undergraduate Graduation Celebration nominate a student speaker.
- To submit a nomination, you must be a Foster undergraduate student graduating by Summer 2026.
- The nominated student speaker must also be a Foster undergraduate student graduating by Summer 2026.
- You may nominate up to 3 people, including yourself. Any additional submissions after your third nomination will not be considered.
- After nominations close, the Foster Graduation Committee will invite the top five students who receive the highest number of nominations in for an interview.
Nominations for student speaker closed on April 3rd.
FOR MORE DETAILS & QUESTIONS:
Read our 2026 Graduation Celebration FAQs (PDF) (Google Doc) for details about eligibility, RSVPs, inviting guests, parking, dress code, bag policy, prohibited items, ADA accommodations, and more.
Questions? Email [email protected]
The University of Washington is committed to providing access and accommodation in its services, programs, and activities. To make a request connected to a disability or health condition contact Kristen Kohashi (206-616-1226, [email protected]) at least 2 weeks before the event. For further support, please contact the Disability Services Office at: Voice: 206-543-6450 (Voice), 206-543-6452 (TTY), 206-685-7264 (Fax), 253-642-0142 (VP), or e-mail at [email protected].
EMBA, GEMBA, HMBA, and TMMBA Graduation Ceremony
Join us in celebrating the graduating class of 2025 in the Meany Hall Center for Performing Arts on the UW campus. (Driving directions) to Meany Hall and campus map.
The ceremony will begin at 5pm and typically lasts two hours. Tickets are required for all guests (including infants).
The ceremony will be streamed live for any guests that cannot attend in person. Link here.
EMBA, GEMBA, TMMBA and Hybrid MBA Ceremony Keynote Speaker
Zach Buchwald is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Russell Investments, the global investment solutions provider founded in 1936 with $300 billion in assets under management. Zach is responsible for driving the firm’s global business strategy, fostering a culture of integrity and excellence, and championing solutions that simplify the complexities of customized, client-centric investing. Zach joined Russell Investments in 2023 from BlackRock, where he served as head of its $2 trillion Institutional Business. Throughout his nearly 15 year tenure with BlackRock, Zach also led the company’s Financial Institutions Group and helped establish its Retirement Solutions and Financial Markets Advisory platforms. Prior to this, Zach served as a managing director at Morgan Stanley.
Zach frequently addresses the challenges of financial security, and retirement. His commentary has been featured in MarketWatch, Morningstar, Newsweek, and Fortune. Zach is part of the CEO council for Challenge Seattle, and he participates in the Washington roundtable. He is a graduate of Harvard University and lives with his family in Seattle.
Full-time MBA, Evening MBA and PhD Graduation Ceremony
Academic Attire
You will be required to wear academic attire (MBA gown, Master’s hood in UW colors with royal blue for Foster, cap, and a black tassel) during the celebration. You can purchase your attire via the University website.
MBA Graduate Keynote Speaker
Peter Tomozawa is the Chief Executive Officer of Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026. Previously, he served for four years as the President of Business Operations with Sounders FC – where he is still a part of the ownership group. Planning for major international events is not new for Peter, in 2016, he was selected by the LA 2024 / LA 2028 Exploratory Committee as Vice President & Executive Director of Partnerships and Board Relations. He also worked on the Seattle World Cup Host City Bid Committee.
Alongside his work with Sounders FC and the successful Los Angeles’ Olympic and Paralympic bid, Peter is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the National Hockey League.
Additionally, he previously served as a Partner and Global Head of Foreign Exchange at Goldman Sachs, where he worked for 17 years, before transitioning into civic affairs where he served as Commissioner of Charter Schools for State of Hawaii and Executive Director of Business Development & Advisor to the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu. Peter served for four years on the board of the Hawaii Red Cross and for eight years on the Nature Conservancy – Hawaii. He is currently on the board of the Seattle Downtown Association and serves on the boards of two privately held companies.
Peter graduated from the University of Michigan Engineering School and earned an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Donna, have five children, two grandchildren, and currently reside in Seattle, WA.
MSIS Graduation Ceremony
The 2025 Foster MSIS Graduation Ceremony will be held in person on Friday, June 5, 2026. Event details for the graduation festivities have been shared directly with the students. If you need information about the event, please check with your graduating student. We look forward to honoring this significant milestone together!
MPAcc & MST Graduation Ceremony
For more information about the UW Commencement please visit the UW Commencement website for more details.
For further information, please contact MPAcc or MST Program:
MST
[email protected]
(206) 543-4670
MPAcc
[email protected]
(206) 543-4670
MSCM & MSBA Graduation Ceremony
We are excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates on the morning of June 5, 2026. Event details for the MSBA and MSCM Class of 2025 Celebration have been shared directly with students. If you need information about the event, please check with your graduating student. We look forward to honoring this significant milestone together!
MS in Entrepreneurship Graduation Ceremony
We are excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates on the evening of June 9, 2026. Event details for the MS ENTRE Class of 2026 Celebration have been shared directly with students. If you need information about the event, please check with your graduating student. We look forward to honoring this significant milestone together!
MSTI Graduation Ceremony
The Master of Science in Technology Innovation Graduation Ceremony, celebrating the Class of 2025, will take place on Saturday, March 22nd at the UW Global Innovation Exchange (Steve Ballmer Building) in Bellevue. The event will begin with a graduation ceremony from 4:00 – 5:30 PM, honoring the achievements of our graduates. A reception will follow from 5:30 – 7:00 PM, where students, families, and friends can gather and enjoy light refreshments. We look forward to celebrating this special milestone together!