School of Education Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony

Amber Garrison Duncan

Executive Vice President and Chief Growth & Systems Transformation Officer

Amber fell in love with higher education the moment she left her small Texas town and stepped foot on campus at Texas Woman’s University. Her passion for supporting holistic approaches to learning were honed at this “campus with a heart” and led to a career working at institutions, nonprofits, and foundations to support the transformation of the U.S. higher education system to be more equitable and just.

Amber has led work in competency-based education, learning frameworks, assessment, credential recognition, digital learner records, and open data standards, as well as quality assurance. Before her role at C-BEN, Amber spent 8 years as a grant maker at Lumina Foundation and prior to that served as Director of Student Affairs Assessment and Research at the University of Oregon, and various student affairs roles at Florida State University, University of Michigan, Hope College and Texas A&M University.

If you’ve ever caught yourself in a brainstorming session with Amber, you know she thinks about what is possible and how to leverage change to create the most good, for the most people, in the largest way possible. The C-BEN community is a natural home for her as it is full of fun spirited and bright innovators who are focused on what is best for learners.

Information coming soon.

Information coming soon.

The program will be posted 24-48 hours before the event.

• Academic regalia is required for graduating students in order for them to be able to participate in the ceremony.
• Only students in full academic regalia (cap, gown, tassel, and hood) will be permitted to participate. The only exception is for graduates in military uniform.
• Students may order their academic regalia through the University Store on Fifth. Visit the store website for more information. Undergraduate students may also visit the University commencement website for additional information.
• Not sure how to wear the regalia? Check out the University’s short, instructional video on how to wear your academic regalia.

• Students should arrive for the ceremony between 5:00 – 5:15 p.m. Please do not arrive before 5 p.m.
• Victory Heights Arena and Sports Performance Complex is located at 3640 Allequippa St., Pittsburgh, PA 15261.
• Students should arrive already dressed in their academic regalia.
• Additional directions will be sent directly to students.

• Guests should arrive at 5:30 p.m.
• After arriving, guests should proceed to the seating area in the Victory Heights Arena and Sports Performance Complex.

• When the student completes their RSVP for the ceremony, they should indicate if any accommodations are required for individuals with disabilities.
• Wheelchairs will be available on site.
• There will be an ASL interpreter during the main ceremony.

• Paid parking is available at the OC Lots up the street from the Victory Heights Arena and Sports Performance Complex. There are also a limited number of metered parking spots on the street.
• Additional parking is available at various lots on the Pitt campus.

• There will be a photographer on site who will take pictures of the graduating students.
• The graduating students will be emailed a link to the main picture gallery where they can download pictures.

The University holds a central ceremony for undergraduate students. However, there is not a University-wide ceremony for graduate students.

For more information regarding the undergraduate ceremony, please visit the University of Pittsburgh Commencement site.