Let's Celebrate Our Grads: Commencement May 2026

On Saturday, May 16, 668 Chambers students received their diplomas at the WVU Hope Coliseum.

Each student faced their own unique challenges leading up to graduation, but all conquered them to reach this milestone.

While they all received an education at Chambers, their futures will look different as they continue to face new challenges and aim to become standouts in the business world.

“You’re now at the edge of what comes next,” Milan Puskar Dean Josh Hall said during the ceremony. “You can’t always tell what the future will hold, and it’s natural to feel some uncertainty. But I am positive that you are ready for whatever comes your way because of what you’ve learned at Reynolds Hall.”

West Virginia University President Michael T. Benson was present at each of the university’s nine commencement ceremonies and shared his own words of encouragement to the Class of 2026.

“We’ve seen so much potential on this stage — proof of the promise of higher education to build better futures,” President Benson said. “Here at West Virginia University, pride in our land-grant mission runs deep, success is earned, and life-changing experiences prepare Mountaineers, like you, to serve others and lead in West Virginia and the world. Your bold future started here.”

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In total, the Chambers May Class of 2026 included 655 undergraduates and 116 graduates.

All stories told at Chambers are unique and worthy of recognition. Among this semester’s unique graduates, three reflected on their journeys and what led them down their chosen paths:

Entrepreneurship and Innovation major Logan Cuvo is a hockey lover from Columbus, Ohio. He sought to improve a product commonly used in the sport — hockey tape — and started his company, Best Dam Tape. During his time at Chambers, he joined the Vantage Ventures Accelerator Program, where he received support for his business. Now a graduate, Cuvo plans to take his business full time.

While the classroom was one her favorite places to be, Marketing major Lydia Reilly wanted to work with real clients, which led her to join 304 Marketing Agency. Now skilled with what she’s learned both in and out of the classroom, Reilly is looking forward to taking the next step in her education. She plans to move to New York City to attend NYU and get her Master’s of Science in Marketing and Analytics.

Hospitality and Tourism Management major Cayleigh Pennington took away a lot from her experiential learning opportunities during her time at Chambers. Working together with her Event Planning Practicum class, Pennington helped to plan a culinary event at Nemacolin. Enjoying that experience and what she learned from it, Pennington is heading back to the luxury resort for a post-graduate internship.

The business students were recognized and celebrated on Saturday, and a handful of other esteemed individuals were recognized across the university with honorary degrees, two of which had ties to Chambers. Honorary degrees are the highest distinction WVU bestows.

Recognized for his service in the retail industry, 1961 Chambers graduate Arthur “Art” Gabriel was recognized during the Chambers commencement ceremony.

Art and his brother, James, founded Gabriel Brothers in Morgantown in 1961. The company has since expanded to more than 100 stores across 20 states and remains headquartered in Morgantown today.

In addition to his retail achievements, Art also served on the Chambers Visiting Committee and was inducted into the West Virginia Business Hall of Fame in 2021.

Another Honorary Degree Recipient, Tom Jones, is a Chambers graduate and is recognized for his contributions to the healthcare industry in West Virginia. Jones was honored during the WVU School of Dentistry, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, and School of Public Health Commencement ceremony on Friday.

A West Virginia native, Jones has worked in health care across the state for more than 40 years. He served as president and CEO for the WVU Health System from 2002 until his retirement in 2014. During those 12 years, the health system grew to become the state’s largest.

Jones was also inducted into Chambers’ Roll of Distinguished Alumni in 2016.