A milestone season for military-connected learners

UMGC graduates in Tokyo celebrated at the New Sanno Hotel on April 11.

The spring of 2026 marks a milestone for University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) in Asia. As the division celebrates its 70th anniversary providing educational opportunities to overseas military communities in Asia this year, it hosted four distinct commencement ceremonies in Tokyo, Okinawa, Korea, and Guam. 

These ceremonies serve as a powerful testament to the university’s enduring mission to meet adult and military learners wherever they are called to serve.

Rear Admiral Brett Mietus, Commander, Joint Region Marianas addressed UMGC graduates in Tumon Bay, Guam on May 9.

Seven decades of supporting the front lines

Since 1956, UMGC has been a fixture of overseas military education in Asia. Globally, the university has supported students for more than 79 years, while the Asia division’s 70-year legacy is deeply intertwined with U.S. military history in the Pacific. Since 1949, the U.S. military and its various components have sponsored UMGC on overseas installations, providing facilities and classrooms to ensure that service members, civilian employees, and their families never have to choose between their duty and their dreams of higher education.

UMGC in Asia’s 70th anniversary looks to both the past and future while celebrating of UMGC’s 322,000 global alumni. As UMGC President, Gregory W. Fowler, PhD, noted during the ceremonies, these individual journeys underscore the impact of pursuing education with purpose and staying focused on goals despite the complexities of military life. 

“It’s so important for us to do this event because for 70 years UMGC has found ways to reach students wherever they were around the globe and particularly here in Asia,” said Fowler. “Whether in jungles or active battle zones, we found ways to help those students achieve their dreams over the same period of time.”

General Xavier T. Brunson, Commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea, at Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea addressed UMGC graduates virtually in Seoul, South Korea, on April 25.

A class of resilience: The 2026 graduates

This spring, UMGC graduates in Asia celebrated a total of 1,331 degrees earned in the 2025-2026 academic year:

  • 66 master’s degrees
  • 632 bachelor’s degrees
  • 633 associate degrees 

The graduates behind these numbers have demonstrated incredible persistence. Military students in the Class of 2026 took an average of six years to earn an associate degree and more than 10 years to earn a bachelor’s degree. These graduates are not just students; they are parents and military spouses balancing immense responsibilities.

These students hail from 32 U.S. states and 21 countries and territories, including Peru, Burkina Faso, Grenada, Jamaica, Poland, Haiti, Egypt, and Russia. Highlighting the wide range of life stages UMGC serves, UMGC in Asia’s youngest graduate was 19 years old, while the oldest celebrated his achievement at age 72.

University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman, MD, addressed UMGC graduates in Tokyo on April 11.

Four regions, one global mission

UMGC in Asia’s regional approach to commencement ensured that every graduate—from the heart of Japan to the shores of Guam—had their own moment to shine.

  1. Tokyo, Japan (April 11): The season kicked off at the New Sanno Hotel, an institution that has partnered with UMGC since the division’s early days. Here, graduates born in Tokyo walked alongside peers who traveled from across the globe to receive their diplomas from UMGC’s president  and University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman, MD. Student Speaker Tiffany Test ’26 shared her journey from the Air Force to a bachelor’s in East Asian studies. 
  2. Okinawa, Japan (April 18): One week later, the celebration moved to the Yomitan Cultural Center. This ceremony highlighted UMGC’s deep roots in Okinawa, featuring a performance by the University of the Ryukyus Band and honoring faculty including Michelle Fukuyama, PhD, who has taught Okinawan history through experiential learning for more than a decade.
  3. Seoul, South Korea (April 25): At the Dragon Hill Lodge in Yongsan, the university presented Commanding General Xavier T. Brunson with an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree. He delivered his address virtually due to short-notice military duty, emphasizing the high-level military cooperation that underpins UMGC’s mission.
  4. Tumon, Guam (May 9): The four-stop tour concluded at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa. Presided over by Vice President Jim Cronin and Associate Vice President Burt Okamoto of UMGC’s Global Military Operations division, this ceremony honored graduates born in Guam and hailing from as far away as Colombia and Nicaragua.
From left, Gardner Williams ’26, MS, Transformational Leadership; Brian Carter ’26, MBA; and Hareko Keel ’26, AA, General Studies in Okinawa on April 18.

As tassels were turned from right to left across Asia, UMGC’s newest alumni carry with them a legacy of excellence that began in 1956 and continues to thrive across the Pacific.  

More than 9,400 UMGC graduates around the world are being recognized during this spring 2026 Commencement season, which unfolds over several weeks through celebrations across Asia, Europe and U.S. Grad Walk.  Stateside Virtual Commencement launched on May 9 for graduates in the U.S. who may be unable to participate in an in-person event. 

For additional global commencement updates, bookmark the UMGC Global Media Center and follow #UMGCgrad on social media.

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense information or visuals does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.