Celebrates the Yale College Class of 2026.
Yale College Class Day began in the 19th century, when graduates gathered in a circle on Old Campus to share memories of their time at Yale. Today, the ceremony includes reflections from members of the graduating class, an address by a prominent speaker, and many other longstanding traditions.
Class Day Exercises
Processional
Ceremonial March Thomas C. Duffy, 1955–
Dean’s Greeting
Pericles Lewis Dean of Yale College
Introduction
Sarah Ben Tkhayet & Esha Garg 2026 Class Day Co-Chairs
Class Day Address
Min Jin Lee ’90 B.A. Novelist and Essayist
Class Day Traditions
Maya Moseley & Kevin Seo 2026 Class Day Co-Chairs
Conferral of Student Prizes
Pericles Lewis Dean of Yale College
Victoria Chun Director of Athletics
Catherine Panter-Brick Chair, Council of Heads of College;
Head of Morse College
The Louis Sudler Prize
The Nellie Pratt Elliot Award
The William Neely Mallory Award
The Nakanishi Prize
The James Haas Prize
The Warren Memorial Prize
The Arthur Twining Hadley Prize
The Russell Henry Chittenden Prize
The Josiah Willard Gibbs Prize
The Alpheus Henry Snow Prize
Song
I Am Loved as I Love Jeffrey Douma, 1971–
The song is performed by Yale Glee Club members from the Class of 2026, conducted by David Liebowitz, Silliman College ’26.
Class Officers’ Greeting
Audrey Nannor & Coby Yang Class of 2026 Co-Secretaries
Jonathan Akinniyi & Daniela Chaclan Class of 2026 Co-Treasurers
The Ivy Ode
“The Light We Take Forward”
Yara Chami Saybrook College ’26
Grace Halak Saybrook College ’26
Ayush Iyer Branford College ’26
Anjal Jain Silliman College ’26
Naomi-Jeanne Main Davenport College ’26
Comedic Reflection
“The Final Project”
Josh Bock Silliman College ’26
Amara Neal Grace Hopper College ’26
Prentiss Patrick-Carter Grace Hopper College ’26
Class Oration
“Tuesday”
Shubh Gupta Timothy Dwight College ’26
Class History
“Time of Our Lives”
Alma Mater
Bright College Years H.S. Durand, Class of 1881
(Carl Wilhelm, composer)
The alma mater is performed by Yale Glee Club members from the Class of 2026, conducted by Kyle Thomas Ramos, Pauli Murray College ’26.
Closing
Class Day Co-Chairs
Recessional
Frozen Flames March Thomas C. Duffy, 1955–
2026 Class Day Co-Chairs
Esha Garg
Maya Moseley
Kevin Seo
Sarah Ben Tkhayet
