Look back at UNC Commencement through the years

Posted May 9, 2026
UNC celebrates the newest Tar Heel graduates at Spring Commencement on Saturday at Kenan Stadium. Commencement has a long history at Carolina. UNC was the only public institution to confer degrees in the 18th century, and the first group of graduates in 1798 went seven deep (a little smaller than this year’s 7,183). Here’s a look at graduations past. (UNC.edu)

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