Kolbe Academy is hosting an in-person and online commencement ceremony for the Class of 2026.

 

 

Georgia Event

In-person Event: The in-person event will take place at Mary Our Queen Catholic Church in Peachtree Corners, GA. Faculty, students, parents, and guests are all welcome to attend the event in Georgia. 

 

Online Event

Online Event: Class of 2026 students may participate virtually in our live commencement ceremony, if they are unable to join us for the in-person event in Georgia. Faculty, students, parents, and guests are also welcome to attend virtually. Please note, the virtual commencement is a live streaming of the commencement event on May 21, 2026, and is not a separate virtual ceremony.

 

Watch the Livestream

Watch the Commencement Livestream: Celebrate with the Kolbe Academy community as we honor the Class of 2026. Our commencement ceremony will be livestreamed so family and friends near and far can share in this joyful milestone. 

 

RSVP for Commencement 2026!

Link to the Commencement Registration Form.

 

Schedule for Commencement Activities

Wednesday, May 20th:

4:00 PM: Baccalaureate Mass (All Students & Families)
5:00-9:00 PM: Teen Social

 

Thursday, May 21st:

8:00 AM: Graduate Arrival and Rehearsal
11:00-3:00 PM: Commencement followed by the Graduate Luncheon

 

Commencement Speaker

     

            Stephen D. Minnis, President, Benedictine College

 

A native of St. Joseph, MO, Minnis graduated from Benedictine College in 1982. He obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Washburn University in 1985 and Master of Business Administration degree in 1993 from Baker University. He served as an Assistant District Attorney and as General Attorney, Director, regulatory policy at Sprint Corporation before becoming President of Benedictine College in 2004.

 

Since 2004, Benedictine College has seen unprecedented growth. The enrollment has increased from 1,000 students to over 2,000. During his presidency, Benedictine has for the first time been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s Best Colleges and recognized by the Cardinal Newman Society as one of the top 20 Catholic universities in America.

 

Faculty Speaker

     

          Mr. Nick Senz, High-School Theology Instructor

 

Mr. Nicholas Senz is a husband and father, and Pastoral Associate at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fishers, IN. He received a B.A. in Communication Studies (Journalism track) from the University of Portland, and an M.A. in Philosophy and M.A. in Theology from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, CA.  Nicholas served as a Master Catechist in California.

 

He has taught faith formation and catechist training courses in parishes across the country, and has taught philosophy and religion at the community college level. He has also been published in several Catholic websites and periodicals, including Aleteia, Catholic Digest, Catholic Herald (UK), Catholic World Report, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. Nicholas lives in Indiana with his wife and three children.

 

Hotel Block

Kolbe Academy has reserved a block of rooms at IHG Crown Plaza Atlanta NE - Norcross. Rates start at $132. To ensure you receive the discounted rate, please book your room(s) as soon as possible. Please be sure to enter the specific dates, since the link does not automatically populate the dates for you.

 

Diploma

Participating in our commencement ceremony is a separate process from graduating. Please see the Graduation Application Process article for more information on the graduation process. Students do not need to have completed all of their coursework to join us for the commencement event. Students have until the end of the 2026 year to meet graduation requirements and still "walk" in the commencement ceremony.

 

Student Speaker

The deadline to apply for Student Commencement Speaker is Tuesday, April 7th. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and will be required to submit a writing sample and a speaking sample. Students may apply using the link located in the Commencement Registration Form, or directly using the Student Speaker Application.

 

Senior Spotlight & Slideshow

When you begin the Commencement Registration form, there is a link to the Senior Info Submission Form used to tell us about your student for the slideshow. Please be prepared to upload your child's senior picture or another formal photograph of your student for use in the slideshow that is played prior to the ceremony. Files must be less than 100 MB.

 

Along with the picture, we will share your senior's name and post-graduation plans. Please have this information handy to complete the application. If your child is unsure about their post-graduation plans, "undecided" or noting one or two possible options are acceptable answers. You may contact us up until Monday, May 4th if plans change and you would like your senior's slide updated.

 

Awards & Honor Cords

Honor cords will be provided for students who have earned Kolbe's awards. To be awarded cords during the commencement ceremony, a student's first semester grades for homeschool and custom courses from senior year must be submitted no later than April 15th. First-semester grades submitted after this date cannot be expedited for the purpose of cords at the commencement ceremony. If a student earns the awards, they will still receive cords, but it may be after the ceremony. Students who have earned cords outside of Kolbe Academy may wear these cords once Kolbe's commencement ceremony has concluded.

Graduation Announcement

Kolbe Academy provides a 2026 Graduation Announcement parents may use to announce their student's graduation. More information coming soon!