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Pima Community College to Celebrate Class of 2026 with Two Commencement Ceremonies on May 20

TUCSON, AZ — Pima Community College will celebrate its graduating Class of 2026 during two commencement ceremonies on Wednesday, May 20, at the Tucson Convention Center Arena.

For the first time, Pima Community College will hold two ceremonies organized by academic programs. Ceremonies will take place at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

This year, 4,564 students have graduated or are candidates for graduation. The College expects to award 5,916 degrees and certificates, with many graduates earning multiple credentials. The ceremonies will honor students across a range of academic and workforce programs, from Liberal Arts and Business Administration to Cybersecurity and Nursing.

This year's commencement speaker is Alex Guzman, a graduating non-traditional student, entrepreneur, and community advocate from Nogales, Arizona, with a strong commitment to serving Southern Arizona communities. In addition to building businesses focused on technology, education, and communication, Guzman has worked with the Nogales Unified School District, supporting students across K–12 classrooms. After returning to college at Pima Community College, he dedicated himself to academic excellence and public service. He is continuing his education at Northern Arizona University through its accelerated Master of Public Administration program. Through both entrepreneurship and public service, Guzman hopes to help create a more accessible and empowering educational system that provides greater opportunities for individuals to improve their lives and strengthen their communities.

“It is never too late to change the direction of your life,” Guzman said. “Small actions taken consistently create momentum. Once you build that momentum, opportunities that once felt impossible begin to feel achievable.”

The largest associate degree programs among graduates this year include:

  • Liberal Arts (AA): 872 graduates
  • Science (AS): 259 graduates
  • Business Administration (ABUS): 205 graduates
  • Nursing (AAS): 203 graduates
  • Cybersecurity (AAS): 84 graduates

Class of 2026 highlights include:

  • The youngest graduate was 16 years old when they were awarded an Associate of Fine Arts in December 2025.
  • The oldest graduate is 80 years old and earned a Certificate in Business.
  • 241 graduates (9.6% of associate degree recipients) earned a GPA of 3.90 or higher and qualified for Highest Honors.
  • Pima will award 1,361 Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) certificates as part of its university transfer preparation efforts.

The ceremonies will be held at the Tucson Convention Center Arena, 260 S. Church Ave. Family, friends, and community members are encouraged to attend. Admission is free.

The 10:30 a.m. ceremony will recognize graduates from Liberal Arts, Nursing, Education, Public Safety, Health Professions, and related programs. The 4 p.m. ceremony will honor graduates from Science, Business, Aviation, Technology, Skilled Trades, and other workforce-focused programs.

Both ceremonies will be streamed live and recorded by PCC-TV at: youtube.com/pcctvstream.

For more information about commencement, visit pima.edu/commencements

** The class profile numbers are accurate as of May 14, 2026.


Contact:

Justin Kree
Director of Media Relations
Pima Community College
Cell: 520.710.7170
jkree@pima.edu 

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