Former Google executive Eric Schmidt will deliver the keynote address at the University of Arizona’s 2026 Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. The event will take place at Casino Del Sol Stadium (formerly Arizona Stadium). Schmidt’s ongoing collaboration with the university on a privately funded space telescope was noted as a key reason for his selection as the graduation speaker.
Schmidt helped guide Google from a search-engine start-up into a global technology leader alongside founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. He later served as Google’s chairman and as executive chairman of Alphabet, the company’s parent holding company. University leaders have highlighted his role in shaping internet architecture and broadening the reach of digital innovation.
In recent years Schmidt has shifted focus toward scientific and national-technology initiatives. He launched the Special Competitive Studies Project in 2021 to examine America’s long-term competitiveness in an AI-driven world, and he frequently advises policymakers on technology, energy and security issues. He also serves as chair and CEO of Relativity Space and is the author of multiple bestselling books.
Through philanthropic activity with his wife, Wendy, Schmidt has funded a range of research organizations, including the Schmidt Family Foundation, the Schmidt Ocean Institute and Schmidt Sciences. Schmidt Sciences is leading a project called Lazuli: a planned three-meter, fully privately funded space telescope. The university will contribute by designing and building instruments for the telescope, work expected to enable a variety of new astrophysical investigations.
University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella praised Schmidt’s combination of innovation and purpose, saying it exemplifies the kind of leadership the university seeks to instill in its graduates. The administration emphasized that Schmidt’s career — spanning entrepreneurship, science investment and public service — sends a clear message about the possibilities that come from pairing technical skill with civic and scientific ambition.
At the same commencement, the university will present an Alumni Achievement Award to Cisco Aguilar, Nevada’s secretary of state. Aguilar previously served as general counsel for Agassi Graf, the management organization for former tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, and worked with the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education. Separately, the university has announced upcoming campus initiatives, including plans to expand mental health services for students and a proposed $17 million project to upgrade the Student Union Memorial Center pending board approval.
