Purdue Global celebrates graduates during October commencement ceremonies at Mackey Arena
Keynote speaker Ismail Joseph encourages graduates to build character, be present
Purdue Global graduates celebrate during the October 2026 commencement ceremonies. (Purdue Global photo/Kelsey Lefever)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Global commencement speaker Ismail Joseph urged the university’s newest alumni to use their degrees as a tool to build character and be present in order to make a lasting impact on the world around them.
“You were building more than a transcript,” Joseph said. “You were building resilience. Keep showing up.”
Joseph earned his Master of Science in higher education in 2018 from Purdue Global and serves as a career specialist in Purdue Global’s Center for Career Advancement and adjunct faculty member in the School of Multidisciplinary and Professional Studies. He inspired the more than 3,500 graduates and estimated additional 11,000 family, friends, faculty and staff throughout three in-person ceremonies at Mackey Arena, along with two virtual ceremonies. Since October 2025, Purdue Global has awarded degrees and certificates to 16,308 graduates.
Joseph encouraged graduates to focus on how their work and lives will impact others in their communities.
“I’ve come to believe that the greatest purpose of our lives isn’t simply building impressive careers,” he said. “It’s becoming a person of character so that wherever I go — and wherever you go — people experience more hope, more encouragement, more integrity and more compassion because we were there. Become the kind of person whose life makes someone else’s life better.”
Eva Nodine, Purdue Global’s chief executive officer, and Jennie Sanders, chief academic officer, addressed graduates and conferred their degrees during the ceremonies. The graduates included 532 Indiana residents. All 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.; Puerto Rico; and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with 19 countries, were represented. There were 478 graduates affiliated with the military. Forty-six systemwide Purdue University employees earned a Purdue Global degree or certificate through the Purdue Global Gift of Knowledge benefit.
Tasha Bailey, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Keena Mapanao of San Diego; and Ulrike Hoff of Ventura, California, performed the national anthem during their respective ceremonies. Bailey earned her Bachelor of Science in business administration. Mapanao received her Master of Science in nursing — psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Hoff earned her Bachelor of Science in psychology.
The next Purdue Global commencement is scheduled for May 1, 2027, in West Lafayette.
Note to journalists: Photos, speaker video and b-roll video are available on Google Drive.
About Purdue Global
Purdue Global is Purdue’s online university for working adults who have life experience and often some college credits. It offers flexible paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, military service and previous college credits, no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and backed by Purdue University. For more information, visit https://www.purdueglobal.edu.