From reflections on their time at UC Santa Barbara, to awards and post-grad school goals, be inspired by this year's Commencement spotlights.
Follow us on social media on June 11th:
Questions?
Email Marketing & Communications.
Our 2026 Student Speaker
Alden Benjamin Lopez-Hernandez
M.Ed Candidate and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (Teacher Education Program)
Alden Benjamin Lopez-Hernandez is a first-generation Guatemalan-American and a bilingual graduate student in the UCSB Teacher Education Program. Rooted in his experiences growing up in Inglewood, CA, and learning English as a second language, Ben is deeply committed to creating inclusive, culturally affirming classrooms where all students, especially emergent bilinguals, can thrive. He will be receiving his Master’s in Education, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and a Bilingual Authorization in Spanish.
Our 2026 Guest Speaker
The Honorable Marc B. Nathanson, MA ‘69
Chairman, Mapleton Investments
Nominated by President Joe Biden, Ambassador Marc B. Nathanson served as U.S. Ambassador to Norway from 2021 to 2024. During his tenure, he established the Tromso American Presence Post, finalized two military treaties, and welcomed the U.S.S. Gerald Ford. He supported NATO unity during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the accession of Finland and Sweden. A communications entrepreneur and environmentalist, Nathanson founded Falcon Cable TV and was Vice Chairman of Charter Communications. His public service includes chairing the U.S. Agency for Global Media and serving on the East-West Center Board. He held leadership roles with the Pacific Council on International Policy, NDI, and the Aspen Institute. His honors include UCSB's "Outstanding Alumni" and the EMA Lifetime Achievement Award. He holds a bachelor's from the University of Denver and an MA in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara, where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow.
2026 Lancaster Awardee
Sienna Helena Parker
PhD Candidate, Technology Management Program
Social Sciences Dissertation Award
Sienna is a PhD student in the Technology Management Programs who received her BS in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern's School of Education and Social Policy in 2018. After graduation, she spent three years in Silicon Valley including working at LinkedIn and a housing technology start-up. Her research interests include aging in the workforce, technology skills development, and occupational identity.
2026 Lancaster Awardee
Alexander Davydov, PhD '25
Mechanical Engineering
Math, Physical Sciences, and Engineering Dissertation Award
Alexander (Sasha) Davydov earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara in 2025. He received bachelors degrees in Mechanical Engineering and in Mathematics at the University of Maryland in 2020. He is the recipient of a Best Student Paper Finalist Award at ACC 2022, the O. Hugo Schuck Best Paper Award in 2023, and the 2024 IEEE Control Systems Letters Outstanding Paper Award for his work on robustness of neural networks. His work has been supported by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, the UCSB Chancellor's Fellowship, and the Air Force Office for Scientific Research. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Rice University and is a member of the Ken Kennedy Institute.
Our 2026 Student Singer
Lorenzo Johnson Jr
PhD Candidate, Musical Arts in Vocal Performance
Lorenzo Johnson, Jr., tenor, is a Doctoral Candidate pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance at the University of California, Santa Barbara under the instruction of Professor Benjamin Brecher. Lorenzo began singing in high school by joining the choir and then competing in All-State and Solo & Ensemble competitions in Dallas, Texas. He completed his Master of Music in Vocal Performance at Florida State University in Fall 2021 and obtained a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Sam Houston State University in Spring 2019.
Lorenzo serves on the voice faculty at California Polytechnic State University as a Lecturer and Applied Instructor of Voice, teaching private voice lessons and classes covering performance techniques. At the University of California, Santa Barbara, he serves as a Teaching Assistant/Associate, having facilitated classes in music appreciation, world music, beginning voice, music psychology, and choir.