On Saturday, June 27, the Aghia Paraskevi campus came alive with celebration as Deree – The American College of Greece honored the Undergraduate Class of 2026 during its 60th Commencement Ceremony. Surrounded by family, friends, faculty, staff, and members of the wider ACG community, graduates gathered at the Deree Track & Field to celebrate a milestone filled with pride, emotion, and promise.
This year’s ceremony held special significance as it marked the first Deree Undergraduate Commencement presided over by Edward C. Wingenbach, PhD, President of The American College of Greece. Welcoming the graduates on behalf of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, and more than 70,000 ACG alumni around the world, President Wingenbach congratulated the Class of 2026 and reflected on the responsibility that comes with a Deree education. “A commencement ceremony recognizes completion. It also marks a beginning,” he said. “The degree you receive tonight confirms that you have met the standards of Deree College and The American College of Greece. It also marks the beginning of the responsibility that comes with this education.”
Speaking to a graduating class representing 33 countries, President Wingenbach highlighted the distinctive character of Deree’s American model of education in Greece: rigorous, flexible, student-centered, and connected to public purpose. He reminded graduates that their education has prepared them not only with knowledge but with judgment, creativity, and the ability to act with purpose in a rapidly changing world. Reflecting on ACG’s motto, “Not to be served, but to serve,” he encouraged the Class of 2026 to consider what their success will make possible for others.
The ceremony also included a video greeting from Her Excellency Kimberly Guilfoyle, U.S. Ambassador to Greece, on behalf of the people of the United States, underscoring the enduring connection between The American College of Greece, Greece, and the United States.
As is tradition, the ceremony featured the conferral of an honorary degree. This year, The American College of Greece conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, upon David G. Horner, PhD, in recognition of his exceptional leadership, service, and enduring contribution to ACG’s mission and legacy. In his remarks, Dr. Horner warmly addressed the graduates, recalling the time he had first welcomed them as new students and encouraging them to embrace the full range of opportunities available at Deree. He congratulated them on gaining not only knowledge and credentials, but also the skills, capacities, and personal relationships that will continue to benefit them throughout their lives. “May you carry with you the confidence to live boldly and to love unreservedly,” he said, reminding graduates that life is ultimately “about progress and not perfection.”
The student address was delivered by Chrysovalantis-Angelos Latsidis, graduating with a major in Psychology, who spoke on behalf of the Class of 2026 with honesty, warmth, and imagination. Reflecting on uncertainty, hope, friendship, and the world beyond campus, he invited his fellow graduates to keep building meaningful connections wherever life may lead them. “Build friendships. Build communities. Build worlds worth inhabiting,” he said. “May your hammers never fall silent! Because togetherness is futureproof.”
The evening continued with the recognition of academic excellence, as Deree students were honored with the Undergraduate Academic Achievement Award and the Open University Undergraduate Achievement Award. The highlight of the ceremony came with the conferral of degrees, as graduates crossed the stage to receive their Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science diplomas, each name marking a moment of personal triumph and collective celebration.
President Wingenbach also acknowledged the families, friends, faculty, and staff whose support, mentorship, and encouragement helped bring the graduates to this proud moment. As the ceremony drew to a close, he delivered the Presidential Charge to the newest graduates of Deree College, The American College of Greece: “Members of the Deree Undergraduate Class of 2026, we are proud of you. We are grateful for what you have contributed to this College. We send you forward with confidence in the impact you can have.”
With tassels turned and caps raised in celebration, the Class of 2026 joined the global ACG alumni community, carrying with them the values, skills, friendships, and purpose shaped on the hillside campus they once called home.
Congratulations to the Deree Undergraduate Class of 2026! Your journey is just beginning, and your ACG community could not be prouder.