Bellevue University Commencement Ceremony Set for June 6
Bellevue University will hold its Spring Commencement ceremony on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Mid‑America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. More than 700 students will take part in the ceremony, which will feature student commencement speaker Shakori D. Colen and commencement speaker Dr. Bill Lydiatt.
Key Facts
- Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
- Location: Mid‑America Center, Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Doors Open: 8:00 a.m.
- Processional: 9:10 a.m.
- Ceremony: 9:30 a.m.
- Student Commencement Speaker: Shakori D. Colen
- Commencement Speaker: Dr. Bill Lydiatt, CEO, Clarkson Institute
- Livestream Link: https://bellevue.zoom.us/j/99507886727
More Than 700 Students to Receive Degrees
Bellevue University will award degrees to more than 700 students during its Spring Commencement ceremony on Saturday, June 6. Graduates represent undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across the University.
Doors to the Mid‑America Center will open at 8:00 a.m. The ceremony will begin with a processional at 9:10 a.m., followed by the commencement program at 9:30 a.m. The University will provide a livestream option for guests who are unable to attend in person.
According to University Registrar Colette Lewis, Bellevue University conferred 1,815 degrees between Sept. 2025 through April 2026. The University now has more than 70,000 graduates worldwide.
Commencement Speakers
The ceremony will feature Dr. Bill Lydiatt, CEO of Clarkson Institute. Dr. Lydiatt also serves as a professor of surgery at Creighton University and was the 2024–2025 past president of the American Head and Neck Society. His career includes senior leadership roles in healthcare administration, clinical practice, and academic medicine, with a focus on expanding access to care, improving quality outcomes, and developing organizational leadership.
This year’s spring student commencement speaker is Shakori D. Colen, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from Bellevue. Colen grew up in San Diego, California, and has called Omaha, Nebraska, home since 2015. She completed her degree while working full time and raising her son as a single mother.
In her address titled “Right On Time,” Colen will reflect on her return to college while balancing full-time work, online coursework, and family responsibilities. She will share how she navigated her academic journey while advocating for her son after his autism diagnosis and how those experiences shaped her approach to education and leadership.
“Commencement reflects the determination our students bring to every part of their journey. As we celebrate 60 years of Bellevue University, moments like this remind us that our mission has always been about students—meeting them where they are and helping them transform effort and persistence into meaningful achievement.”
Doctoral Hooding and Additional Commencement Activities
In addition to the Spring Commencement ceremony, Bellevue University will host a reception honoring its doctoral students on Friday, June 5, on the University’s main campus in the Margre H. Durham Student Center, 1008 Bruin Blvd., Bellevue, Nebraska. The reception will feature formal remarks and provide an opportunity for students, faculty, and guests to mingle.
Doctoral students will be formally hooded during the Saturday commencement ceremony.
Graduates and guests can find ceremony schedules, arrival information, regalia guidance, and guest details on the University’s Graduation Information webpage at https://www.bellevue.edu/student-experience/academic-services/graduation/.
Founded in 1966, Bellevue University is a non-profit university with more than 70,000 graduates worldwide. The University is a recognized national leader in preparing students for lifelong success with career-relevant knowledge and skills, while making college affordable. Routinely ranked among the nation’s top military and accessible institutions, the University serves residential students at its main campus in Bellevue, Nebraska, and everywhere online with more than 85 degree programs uniquely designed for working adults. The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org).