2026 Commencement honors inaugural class of the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing

Relive the Ceremony

More than 200 nursing students walked across the iconic Royce Hall stage at this year’s UCLA Nursing Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, June 13.

The Class of 2026 are part of a significant milestone for the school, representing the first graduating cohort of the newly renamed UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing following last year’s $30 million philanthropic commitment by Joe C. Wen and his family.

This year’s keynote speaker was Jason Wolf, PhD, CPXP, President and CEO of The Beryl Institute, a global community dedicated to advancing the human experience in health care. Dr. Wolf is a pioneer in the patient experience movement and has helped position experience as a core element of quality, safety, and outcomes worldwide.

He is founding editor of the Patient Experience Journal, the first open-access, peer-reviewed journal in the field, and creator of a credentialing program for experience professionals. A sought-after speaker and bestselling author, Dr. Wolf inspires health care leaders to elevate patient voices and lead with empathy – principles central to the future of nursing.

The Class of 2026 represents nearly every facet of the nursing profession. From pre-licensed bachelor’s and master’s students just beginning their health care careers, to advanced practice nurses taking their next steps, and doctorally prepared nurses leading the way in health care and research.

The ceremony also celebrates the final cohort of UCLA’s Advanced Practice Registered Nursing program. To ensure UCLA’s role in meeting the health care needs of tomorrow as well as to align with the national nursing standards, the school is sunsetting its APRN program after the launch of its new Post BSN-DNP program. The new DNP program is designed to prepare registered nurses to become experts and leaders in advanced practice while completing a terminal degree in nursing.