School of Education Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony

Dr. 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.

Graduate Commencement Speaker

DaVaughn Vincent-Bryan has served as the inaugural Director of Student Involvement at the University of Pittsburgh since June 2022. A first-generation college student and scholarly practitioner originally from Kingston, Jamaica, he is committed to creating inclusive and engaging student experiences.

He began his career at Pitt in 2016 as Assistant Director for Programming within Residence Life and later advanced to Associate Director for Residential Experience. In that role, he led daily operations, student advising, and the expansion of integrated residential services. Over the years, he has been instrumental in developing Pitt’s residential curriculum, establishing the division’s Programmers Committee, and earning both regional and national recognition for his work with residential and Greek life organizations.

Motivated by a passion for celebrating emerging adults, Dr. Vincent-Bryan has launched several signature campus traditions, including Pitt’s Got Talent, Late Night Breakfast, I love Pitt Day and Panther Pride Week, all designed to build school spirit and strengthen community.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Public Communication from the University of Vermont, a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University, and, soon, a Doctor of Education in Administrative and Policy Studies with a concentration in Higher Education Management from the University of Pittsburgh School of Education. His research focuses on cultivating a sense of belonging among student affairs staff through effective onboarding practices that emphasize beneficence, equity, and justice.

Guided by a personal mission to “make a big place feel small,” Dr. Vincent-Bryan remains deeply dedicated to fostering environments where individuals are seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.

Undergraduate Commencement Speaker

Madeleine Manno is an undergraduate student majoring in Applied Developmental Psychology with a minor in Secondary Teacher Education. As part of her senior year internship, she works as an undergraduate research assistant at the Managing Everyday Emotions Together (MEET) Lab, which examines how parents and their autistic children navigate everyday emotional challenges. Madeleine is completing an Honors Thesis using MEET Lab data, in which she codes semi-structured parent interviews to better understand how parents describe the nuances of their child’s everyday emotional experiences. Following graduation, she plans to remain in Pittsburgh working as a research specialist before applying to clinical psychology graduate programs.

Yes! Watch the commencement live on YouTube here.

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 4:45 – 5:15 p.m. Please do not arrive before 4:45 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 can arrive no earlier than 5:00 p.m. and proceed to the guest seating area of the venue upon arrival.
• 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.

• 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.