Marking a momentous occasion in its history, the University of Michigan is set to confer its 1 millionth degree this May during its Spring Commencement events. This landmark achievement comes after more than 180 years since the institution’s first commencement ceremony, held on August 6, 1845, with just 11 graduates.
Fast forward to the present, nearly 14,000 students are expected to graduate this spring from U-M’s Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses for the winter 2026 term. In the previous academic year, U-M awarded a total of 20,043 degrees across summer, fall, and winter terms.
“Commencement is always a special occasion in the life of the university,” stated President Domenico Grasso. “This year’s ceremonies will be all the more meaningful as we honor the Class of 2026 and award our 1 millionth degree.”
This significant milestone underscores the university’s dramatic growth from its modest beginnings, enrolling just six students in 1841. Currently, the total enrollment across its three campuses nears 70,000 students, all pursuing various bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees. As of fall 2025, U-M recorded 53,488 students in Ann Arbor, 8,005 in Dearborn, and 7,119 in Flint.
The university draws students from all 83 counties in Michigan, 57 U.S. states and territories, and 104 countries worldwide. The vibrant U-M community is further enriched by over 58,000 faculty and staff members across its campuses and Michigan Medicine.
Since its inception, U-M has expanded its academic offerings significantly. Today, it provides 267 undergraduate and 421 graduate and professional degree programs. U.S. News & World Report has recognized more than 100 of these graduate programs within the top 10 in their fields. The university is consistently praised among the top public institutions for undergraduate education, ranking No. 3 among U.S. public institutions in the 2026 Best Colleges list.
The 1 millionth degree milestone also highlights the extensive impact of U-M’s alumni network, which comprises nearly 700,000 living graduates. These alumni maintain strong connections through over 100 global groups.
“This milestone belongs to generations of alumni across Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint,” noted Alumni Association President and CEO Ayanna McConnell. “It is a powerful reminder that commencement is just the beginning of a lifetime of alumni impact and connections throughout the world and at our university.”
To commemorate this historic event, participants in the university-wide ceremony at Michigan Stadium, as well as those at UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint, will receive a special tassel for their mortarboards, featuring the numeral 1 in front of the iconic block “M.”
