Presenting UC Santa Barbara's 2026
Biological Sciences & Environmental Studies Degrees in
- Aquatic Biology
- Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
- Biological Sciences
- Cell and Developmental Biology
- Ecology and Evolution
- Environmental Studies
- Hydrologic Sciences and Policy
- Microbiology
- Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Zoology
Saturday, June Thirteenth
Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Twelve O’Clock in the afternoon
Commencement Green
Ceremony
PROCESSION
The audience is requested to stand while the procession is entering.
Rita Raley
Divisional Chair, Academic Senate
PRESIDING
Shelly Gable
Dean of Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences
Susan and Bruce Worster Dean of Science
Michael Miller
Dean and Associate Vice Chancellor of Undergraduate Education
NATIONAL ANTHEM
Kiki Reyes
UCSB Staff Member, Office of Public Affairs and Communications
DEAN’S WELCOME
Dean Gable
GREETINGS
Dennis Assanis
Chancellor
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Kim Johnson, ‘97, MED ‘99
CEO, Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation
Co-founder, Johnson Ohana Foundation
STUDENT ADDRESS
Macey Reese Hartmann
B.S. in Environmental Studies
CONFERRING OF DEGREES
Chancellor Assanis
University Marshal Raley
CANDIDATE STAGE CROSSING
UNIVERSITY SONG
Hail to California
RECESSION
Hail to California
Hail to California, Alma Mater dear,
Sing the joyful chorus,
Sound it far and near,
Rallying ’round her banner,
We will never fail—
California, Alma Mater,
Hail! Hail! Hail!
This special day and ceremony celebrate a major achievement in your life.
The warm thoughts and good wishes of the faculty, the administration and your many friends at UC Santa Barbara go with you as you pursue graduate or professional schooling, or your chosen career field.
All of us are confident that your time here has instilled within you the knowledge, skills and confidence to enrich the world around you, and that your future will be as challenging and fulfilling as your years at UC Santa Barbara. We hope that your involvement with your campus is only just beginning, as you now join a network of over 274,900 UC Santa Barbara alumni.
Carillon Music from Storke Tower
Wesley Arai
University Carillonist
Kim Johnson, ‘97, MED ‘99
CEO, Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation
Co-founder, Johnson Ohana Foundation
Kim Johnson graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 1997, double majoring in Mathematics and Art, before earning her master’s degree in education from UCSB in 1999. She began her career as a math teacher at Dos Pueblos High School before moving into music management and nonprofit work, where she draws on her background in education to develop community engagement campaigns and sustainability programs for music events and environmental organizations. As longtime manager for her husband, Jack Johnson, Kim became a leader in the green touring movement, pioneering the All At Once network, helping form the Sustainable Concerts Working Group, and leading the global launch of BYOBottle, a campaign to reduce single-use plastic at music events. Together, Kim and Jack founded the Johnson Ohana Foundation, which supports music, art, and environmental education. In 2015, Kim received the UCSB Distinguished Alumni Award. The Johnsons have also supported UCSB’s Edible Campus Program, which helped lead to the creation of the UCSB Campus Farm, and more recently, their foundation is supporting the development of a master’s program in Sustainability and Environmental Education through the Gevirtz School of Education. Kim also co-founded the Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation, where she serves as CEO. Under her leadership, the foundation has grown into a community hub for hands-on environmental education, local food systems, garden-based learning, and sustainability programs across Hawaiʻi and beyond.
#UCSB2026
Join us on social media to celebrate and congratulate our graduates.
Questions About Commencement?
Visit our FAQ page to find answers to frequently asked questions or contact us by email at Commencement@ia.ucsb.edu.
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