Over the weekend, Cal Poly celebrated 7,526 graduating students at the university’s commencement ceremonies Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14, at Alex G. Spanos Stadium. 

About 57,000 guests filled Alex G. Spanos Stadium across the six college ceremonies. The Class of 2026 joined more than 230,000 Cal Poly Proud alumni making an impact in their communities, in California and across the nation and the world. 

During the ceremonies, Cal Poly honored alumni Mike Krukow and William Frost with honorary Doctor of Science degrees; His Excellency Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair with an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters; and Charles (Chuck) L. Harrington with the President's Medal of Excellence, Cal Poly's highest honor. Additionally Cal Poly awarded posthumous degrees to two students.

Read on for interesting statistics and photos from the commencement ceremonies.  

Degree Breakdown by College

Bailey College of Science and Mathematics:  
   Undergraduate degrees: 852 
   Graduate degrees: 112 

College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences:  
   Undergraduate degrees: 1,126 
   Graduate degrees: 113 

College of Architecture and Environmental Design:  
   Undergraduate degrees: 514 
   Graduate degrees: 36 

College of Engineering: 
   Undergraduate degrees: 1,875 
   Graduate degrees: 389 

College of Liberal Arts:  
   Undergraduate degrees: 1,190 
   Graduate degrees: 62 

Orfalea College of Business:   
   Undergraduate degrees: 1,117 
   Graduate degrees: 140 

Top 10 Undergraduate Degrees

Business Administration - 940 
Mechanical Engineering - 478 
Computer Science - 398 
Electrical Engineering - 224 
Biological Sciences - 214 
Animal Science - 189 
Civil Engineering - 182 
Computer Engineering - 179 
Biomedical Engineering - 171 
Psychology - 169

Top 10 Graduate Degrees

Computer Science - 98 
Mechanical Engineering - 97 
Electrical Engineering - 91 
Civil and Environmental Engineering - 70 
Business Analytics - 59 
Business Administration - 54 
Biomedical Engineering - 53 
Aerospace Engineering - 44 
Engineering Management - 43 
Agricultural Education - 40 

Honorary Degrees and President’s Medal 

His Excellency Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the College of Engineering ceremony. His Excellency, who graduated with honors from Cal Poly with a degree in industrial engineering, is one of the Arab world’s most influential business and philanthropic leaders. In 2025, he was recognized on the TIME100 Philanthropy list as one of the world’s 100 most influential philanthropists, an acknowledgment of his unwavering commitment to empowering youth, advancing education, and fostering innovation that shapes a better future. 

William L. Frost is one of two individuals who received an honorary Doctor of Science degree during the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics ceremony. Frost is a successful business leader and transformative philanthropist whose gifts are reshaping undergraduate science and mathematics education at Cal Poly.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Cal Poly in 1972 and is the former owner of Chemlogics, a Paso Robles-based company. He and his wife, Linda, are prominent residents of San Luis Obispo with long-standing ties to Cal Poly and a commitment to support science and mathematics education. 

Mike Krukow was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree during the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics ceremony. Nicknamed "Kruk," Krukow is an Emmy Award-winning sportscaster and former professional baseball player. As a starting pitcher, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants. He also played for the Cal Poly Mustangs, where he holds the school record for career earned run average at 1.94 and is tied for most shutouts in a season with five. 

Charles (Chuck) L. Harrington received a President’s Medal of Excellence, Cal Poly's highest honor, during the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences ceremony. It has only been granted a handful of times in Cal Poly history. Harrington served as chairman, CEO and president of Parsons Corporation, a technology services company in the global defense, intelligence and critical infrastructure markets until his retirement in 2022. H has served on several corporate and nonprofit boards, underscoring his strong commitment to governance, education and civic leadership. Harrington has served as chair of the Cal Poly President’s Council of Advisors and as vice chair of the Cal Poly Foundation board of directors. He is an honored alumnus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and received an honorary doctorate from Cal Poly. Harrington earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from Cal Poly in 1981.

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