For many students, commencement is measured in brief moments: a name called from the stage, a handshake, a photo with family or a final walk with classmates. Behind those moments are years of coursework, research, teaching, mentoring and career preparation.

For many students, commencement is measured in brief moments: a name called from the stage, a handshake, a photo with family or a final walk with classmates. Behind those moments are years of coursework, research, teaching, mentoring and career preparation. The University of Maryland Department of Computer Science recognized those milestones during the 2026 College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences commencement ceremonies, held May 19 and 20, honoring 1,191 graduates across its undergraduate and graduate programs. The class included 1,000 undergraduate students and 191 graduate students. Beyond the formal recognition of degrees, the ceremonies offered a moment to reflect on how students’ time in the department shaped their academic growth, research interests and next steps. For doctoral graduate Zeyu Yan, who was advised by Assistant Professor of Computer Science Huaishu Peng, the department’s size and range of research areas played a central role in shaping his graduate experience. “I think it is actually a real honor to be in a program, first of all, that is big, and not only by population but also by disciplines,” Yan said. “Nowadays, everyone, including me, is doing interdisciplinary research, and you cannot expect one person to do everything that solves a huge sociotechnical issue.” Yan said his time at UMD shifted how he thinks about research, moving from learning technical skills to identifying problems and using those skills to address them. “I came in the program carrying all the fundamental knowledge and skills,” Yan said. “More importantly, what I achieved is now I can look at the world slightly differently through training, so that I know I can identify things that need to be solved and know what I can do to resolve those questions.” That perspective will continue to guide Yan after graduation. He plans to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship as he works toward a long-term goal of becoming a faculty member. He said his doctoral training prepared him to identify societal issues, develop research questions and work toward outcomes that can be published or applied beyond the university. For undergraduate Nivi Munjal, her time at UMD helped her connect computer science with the professional areas she plans to pursue. “My journey at UMD involved learning a lot of new technical things, but also learning how to apply them to what I am interested in for my professional career,” Munjal said. “That includes being creative with how I approach technological problems in today’s advancing industry, but also how we can take that interpersonal approach and apply technology to what users want in this growing field.” Munjal said teaching and mentoring experiences also shaped her undergraduate years. “Teaching and mentoring shaped my experiences here by trying out different things, especially experiences that I would not have thought of starting at UMD,” Munjal said. After graduation, Munjal plans to continue at UMD in the Master of Business Analytics and AI program. She said she also plans to build on her computer science background through internships and work in business analytics, technology and artificial intelligence. The Class of 2026 leaves the department as computer science continues to shape a wide range of academic fields and industries. U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 rankings placed the department’s graduate computer science program at No. 7 among public institutions. Its 2026 undergraduate program ranked No. 9 among public universities, with notable placements in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and computer systems. A recent University Career Center survey also showed that Department of Computer Science graduates achieved a 93% job placement. As graduates move from the classroom, lab and campus community into new professional paths, Department Chair Matthias Zwicker said they are prepared to adapt to a changing field. “Our graduates leave UMD with the technical foundation, curiosity and resilience needed to make meaningful contributions in a rapidly changing field,” said Zwicker, the Elizabeth Iribe Chair for Innovation and the Phillip H. and Catherine C. Horvitz Professor. “As they move into the workforce, graduate study and new opportunities, we wish them continued success and look forward to seeing the impact they will make as lifelong CS Terps.” For more pictures from the 2026 Commencement Ceremonies, click here. —Story by Samuel Malede Zewdu, CS Communications The Department welcomes comments, suggestions and corrections.  Send email to editor [-at-] cs [dot] umd [dot] edu. View Department Office Contacts Department of Computer ScienceBrendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and EngineeringUniversity of Maryland8125 Paint Branch Drive College Park, MD 20742main phone: (301) 405-2662 FacebookTwitterInstagramLinkedInRSS Feed Web Accessibility | Privacy Notice