Commencement Ceremonies at Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach

Date: Thursday, Dec. 10, 2026

Location: Ocean Center
101 N. Atlantic Ave.
Daytona Beach, FL 32118

Undergraduate

  • 10 a.m. Ceremony
    • College of Arts and Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • College of Aviation
    • David B. O'Maley College of Business

Graduate

  • 3 p.m. Graduate Hooding and Commencement
    • Ph.D. and Master's Degrees

Venue Information

The Daytona Beach Ocean Center is conveniently located off Highway A1A in Daytona Beach, about five miles east of the Embry‑Riddle campus.

View the full-size Ocean Center Parking Map.

Parking

Parking is available on the day of the ceremony at the Ocean Center parking garage and surrounding parking lots for $15 (credit only). Parking for Commencement is available in the following locations:

  • In the Ocean Center West Lot, west of the Ocean Center, near Auditorium Boulevard and North Hollywood Avenue. Handicap parking spaces are available near the southeast side of the lot.
  • In the Ocean Center South Lot, south of the Ocean Center and west of the Peabody Auditorium. Handicap parking spaces are available near the northeast side of the lot.
  • In the Ocean Walk Garage, north of the Ocean Center, across Highway A1A from the Ocean Walk Shoppes and next to Daytona Lagoon. 31 handicap parking spaces are spread between five floors and are near the elevators on the northeast and southwest corners of the garage.

The Student Entrance is on the east side of the Ocean Center across Highway A1A from the Hilton Resorts. There are two Family & Friends Entrances on the northwest and southwest sides of the Ocean Center.

Please note: Parking is limited and has run out in the past. Please inform your family members that parking is first-come, first-served. Carpooling and early arrival is strongly recommended. Consider parking time and walk time to the Ocean Center to ensure you are arriving by 8 a.m. You will be placed in a specific order for line up so prompt arrival is imperative.

Disability and Limited Mobility Accommodations

A special reserved section will be made available to guests with disabilities. Reserved seat tickets are not required but seating is limited to the person needing the accommodations plus three companions. Guests needing accommodations are encouraged to arrive an hour early as the venue is large, and our guests will have to walk to the special reserved section. Due to safety regulations, only three people may accompany the guest with a disability in the accessible seating area.

A variety of services provided by the Ocean Center are available for guests with disabilities, including sound enhancement devices, designated parking places, and easy access to key areas of the complex.

Some of the Ocean Center’s accessible features include:

  • Accessible elevators on the south side of the lobby.
  • An escalator is on the north-south concourse.
  • The facility is accessible on the north and south sides of all lobby areas.

Entrances are on the facility’s east side (student entrance only), south concourse lobby area, and the north concourse lobby area.

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Stay on track for Commencement Day by completing each milestone below.

Before Commencement

  • Complete the Graduating Student Survey
    • Survey completion helps improve future student experiences. Earn 250 Bonus Bucks Points if submitted before Sept. 22! 
  • Apply to Graduate
    • Confirm your degree completion with your academic advisor and submit your application for graduation by Oct. 15, 2026.
  • Attend GradFair
    • Oct. 20, 2026 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Student Union Commons
  • Order Regalia (Cap & Gown)
    • Deadline to order online through Herff Jones is Oct. 23, 2026
    • After this date, orders must be placed in person at the University Bookstore and will include a $10 late fee. For questions on the order process, contact the store at 386-226-6062.
    • In-store purchases made after Nov. 17 are not guaranteed and will include expedited shipping fees.
    • Regalia will be distributed at the Graduation Lift-Off event on Dec. 3, 2026 at 4 p.m. in Mori Hoessini Student Union Event Center, hosted by Alumni Engagement. You will receive a link to register later in the semester.
  • Photo Sessions at Henderson Foundation
    • This beautiful campus is available for personal and commercial photography. To avoid disrupting exams and events happening in the Henderson Welcome Center, there are restrictions beginning in December. Please review the Commencement Info Session slides and Graduation page for details, rules and guidance to ensure everyone can stay safe and enjoy the space.
  • Complete the First Destination Survey
    • Participate in the CCPD/Institutional Research survey during lineup at the Ocean Center on Commencement day. Survey completion helps improve future student experiences.

Past Commencement Speakers

Past commencement speakers have included Embry‑Riddle alumni, astronauts, entrepreneurs, politicians, military veterans and more.

Spring 2026

  • Steve Altemus, Eagle of Aviation Award 
    President and CEO, Intuitive Machines (COAS and COE)

  • Kenn Ricci, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) 
    Chairman, Flexjet (COA and COB)

Fall 2025

  • Vivek Lall, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Chief Executive, General Atomic Global Corporation

Spring 2025

  • Christopher Browne, Eagle of Aviation Award
    John and Adrienne Mars Director, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (COAS and COE)

  • Steve Varsano, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Founder and CEO, The Jet Business (COA and COB)

Fall 2024

  • Jared Isaacman, Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters (L.H.D.)
    CEO, Shift 4; Mission Commander of Polaris Dawn

Spring 2024

  • Michael Whitaker, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Federal Aviation Administration Administrator (COA and COB)

  • Steve Nordlund, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Vice President and General Manager, Air Dominance of Boeing Defense, Space & Security (COAS and COE)

Fall 2023

  • Bobbi Wells, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Vice President of Safety Systems, Efficiency and Compliance

Spring 2023

  • Capt. Houston Mills, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Vice President of Flight Operations and Safety, UPS Airlines

Fall 2022

  • Leanne G. Caret, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
    Executive Vice President and Senior Adviser, The Boeing Company

Spring 2022

  • Hon. Charles F. Bolden Jr., Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
    Major General, USMC (Ret.); Founder and CEO Emeritus, The Charles F. Bolden Group, LLC

Fall 2021

  • Robert L. Sumwalt, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Chairman, National Safety Board

Spring 2021

  • Ellen Stofan, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Under Secretary for Science and Research, Smithsonian Institution

Fall/Spring 2020

  • David Calhoun, Eagle of Aviation Award
    President and Chief Executive Officer, The Boeing Company

Fall 2019

  • Capt. Pierre Thuot, Eagle of Aviation Award
    U.S. Navy, Retired

Spring 2019

  • Dennis Jones, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Brigadier General, USAF; first to break the sound barrier

Fall 2018

  • Ronald Ellis Keys, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
    U.S. Air Force, Retired

Spring 2018

  • Joe Martin, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
    Chairman of the Board, Brooks Automation, Inc.; Co-Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board, Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. (Retired)

Fall 2017

  • Bob Chiusano, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Executive Vice President and COO, Commercial Systems at Rockwell Collins Inc. (Retired); Owner, RMC Consultancy LLC; Chairman of the Board, Winnebago Industries Inc.

Spring 2017

  • Erik Lindbergh, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Founder and CEO, Powering Imagination LLC

  • Helen Wessel, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
    Longtime Embry-Riddle Supporter and Donor

Fall 2016

  • Rob Meyerson, Eagle of Aviation Award
    President, Blue Origin

Spring 2016

  • Robert Sumwalt, Excellence in Aviation Award
    Member, National Transportation Safety Board

Fall 2015

  • Kevin Mickey, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Vice President of Advanced Design, Northrup Grumann Corporation

Spring 2015

  • Nicole Scott
    Member of the Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees, Astronaut and Alumna

  • Dent Thompson, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Phoenix Air Group

Fall 2014

  • Donald Gaetz, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
    Florida State Senator

Spring 2014

  • Tom Connolly, Dedication of Connolly Quad
    Retired Chancellor of Embry‑Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus

Fall 2013

  • James Henderson, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Chairman and CEO, Assured Partners, Inc.

Spring 2013

  • Robert Cabana, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Director, Kennedy Space Center

  • Mori Hosseini, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Chairman and CEO, ICI Homes, Inc.

Fall 2012

  • Arthur Lichte, Eagle of Aviation Award
    U.S. Air Force General (Retired) and Board of Trustees Member

Spring 2012

  • Dave Barger, Eagle of Aviation Award
    President and COO, JetBlue Airways

Fall 2011

  • Mike Haridopolis, Excellence in Aviation Award
    Florida Senate

Spring 2011

  • Zane Rowe, Eagle of Aviation Award
    EVP and CFO, United Airlines; Board of Trustees Member

Fall 2010

  • General Keys, Excellence in Aviation Award
    Retired General, U.S. Air Force; Board of Trustees Member

Spring 2010

  • Nicole Stott, Distinguished Speaker Award
    Astronaut and Alumna

Fall 2009

  • John Mica, Honorary Doctorate of Law
    Florida's 7th Congressional District Representative

Spring 2009

  • Steven Sliwa
    President and CEO, Insitu Group, Inc.

Fall 2008

  • William Parsons, Distinguished Speaker Award
    Center Director, John F. Kennedy Space Center

Spring 2008

  • Bill Nelson, Eagle of Aviation Award
    United States Senator from Florida

  • John (Jay) Adams Jr., Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
    Executive Vice President, Brown & Brown, Inc. (Retired)

Fall 2007

  • Jack Pelton, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Chairman, President and CEO, Cessna Aircraft Company

Spring 2007

  • Karen Holbrook, Eagle of Aviation Award
    President, The Ohio State University

Fall 2006

  • John Rosanvallon, Eagle of Aviation Award
    President and CEO, Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation

Spring 2006

  • Irene Trowell-Harris, Eagle of Aviation Award
    U.S. Air Force Major (Retired); Director, Department of Veteran Affairs

  • Barbara Barrett, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
    President, Triple Creek Guest Ranch

  • Dave Barger, Distinguished Speaker Award
    President and COO, JetBlue Airways

Fall 2005

  • Dave Bushy, Distinguished Speaker Award
    Vice President of Flight Operations, JetBlue Airways

Spring 2005

  • Marion Blakey, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Federal Aviation Administrator

Fall 2004

  • Tim Brady
    Dean, College of Aviation

  • Damon D'Agostino, Distinguished Speaker Award
    Vice President, North American-South Pacific CIT Aerospace

  • John Johnson
    Provost and Chief Academic Officer

  • Allen Haggerty, Distinguished Speaker Award
    Vice President and General Manager, Boeing Co. (Retired)

Spring 2004

  • Robert Crandall, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AMR Corp./American Airlines (Retired)

Fall 2003

  • James Guyette, Distinguished Speaker Award
    President and CEO, Rolls-Royce North America

Spring 2003

  • Joseph Martin, Distinguished Speaker Award
    Senior Executive VP and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors

Fall 2002

  • Philip Condit, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    CEO and Chairman, The Boeing Company

Spring 2002

  • Thomas Weidemeyer, Distinguished Speaker Award
    COO and President, UPS Airlines

Summer 2002

  • Capt. William Compton, Distinguished Speaker Award
    President, TWA Airlines LLC (Retired)

Fall 2001

  • David Burner, Distinguished Speaker Award
    Chairman, President and CEO, Goodrich Corporation

Spring 2001

  • Frederick Smith, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Chairman, President and CEO, Federal Express Corp.

Summer 2001

  • Mori Hosseini, Distinguished Speaker Award
    President and CEO, Intervest Construction

Fall 2000

  • Evelyn Lynn, Distinguished Speaker Award
    Representative, District 27, Florida Legislature

Spring 2000

  • Carol Hallet, Distinguished Speaker Award
    CEO, Air Transportation Association

Summer 2000

  • John Graham, Distinguished Speaker Award
    President, Daytona International Speedway

Fall 1999

  • Ambassador Edward Stimpson, Eagle of Aviation Award
    U.S. Representative of Council, International Civil Aviation Organization

Spring 1999

  • Gordon Bethune, Eagle of Aviation Award
    CEO, Continental Airlines

Summer 1999

  • Geroge Ebbs
    President, Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University

Fall 1998

  • Steven Udvar-Hazy, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    CEO, International Lease Finance Corporation

Spring 1998

  • Jane Garvey, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Administrator of Federal Aviation Administration

Summer 1998

  • James Lampe
    Director of Flight Operations, ATA

Fall 1997

  • General Lloyd Newton, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Commander, United States Air Force

Spring 1997

  • Jeffrey Papows, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    President, Lotus Development Corporation

Fall 1996

  • R. Lyman Wood, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Consultant, Follet Corporation

Spring 1996

  • Edgar Mitchell, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Retired Astronaut

Fall 1995

  • Dixon Speas, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    President, PRC Aviation

Spring 1995

  • General Moorman, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Vice Chief of Staff, United States Air Force

Fall 1994

  • David Hinson
    Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration

Spring 1994

  • Paul Meunier
    President, Signature Flight Support

Fall 1993

  • James Oberstar
    Congressional Rep. from Minnesota

Spring 1993

  • Jake Garn
    Vice Chairman, Huntsman Chemical Corp.

Fall 1992

  • Norman Augustine, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    CEO, Martin Marietta Corporation

  • Paul Schweizer, Honorary Doctoral Degree

1989

  • Tony Vier, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Test Pilot, Lockheed Martin

1988

  • John Riddle, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Co-Founder, Embry‑Riddle Corporation

1987

  • Charles Yeager, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Brigadier General, USAF (first to break the sound barrier)

  • Jenna Yeager, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Co-Pilot, Voyager Aircraft

  • Johannes Steinhoff, Eagle of Aviation Award
    General

  • Richard Rutan, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Pilot, Voyager Aircraft

1986

  • Anesia Machado, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Dean, All Women Pilots

1985

  • Robert Overmyer, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Colonel, USMC; NASA Astronaut; Pilot STS-5; Commander SL-3

1982

  • Len Povey, Eagle of Aviation Award
    "Inventor Cuban-8"; Cuban Aviation Legend

1981

  • Robert Buck, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Author, Aviation Weather and Safety

1979

  • Emil Laird, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Aviation Legend

1978

  • Max Conrad, Eagle of Aviation Award
    Aviation Legend; flew around the world in 1961

1974

  • Susan Oliver, Honorary Doctoral Degree
    Actress and Pilot

  • Cornelius Whitney, Honorary Doctoral Degree

Related Resources

Contact Us

Academic Records and Graduation Status
Office of the Registrar
Ceremony Logistics
Daytona Beach Campus Events