Augustana congratulates graduates at 2026 ceremony

Augustana College celebrated more than 500 candidates for graduation at its 166th commencement ceremony on May 23, 2026.

The commencement address was given by National Football League MVP Ken Anderson ’71. Niccolo Benvenuto, a geology and political science major from Milan, Italy, gave the student address.

The graduates included students from 19 countries. The Class of 2026 came from 18 states and represented 71 majors. Their most popular majors were accounting, biology, business, communication studies, and psychology.

The ceremony was held at the Vibrant Arena at the Mark in Moline, Ill.

President Andrea Talentino welcomed the graduates

President Andrea Talentino’s message focused on change and renewal, drawing a comparison with the Renaissance and today.

“The Renaissance was driven by a movement called humanism, an intellectual awakening rooted in the study of antiquity and the rediscovery of Greek and Roman culture and values,” she said. “Humanism was also the birthplace of the liberal arts, which it viewed as important to the growth and health of civic society.

“Our world is changing quickly in ways that feel unsettling and even perhaps dangerous. And at the same time, the value of the liberal arts has been criticized as unconnected to the 'real world.'”

However, she said, employers consistently rate the intellectual habits of mind that the liberal arts teach as desirable.

One of these habits, she said, is doubt.

President Talentino quoted Renaissance thinker René Descartes, who said, “If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.”

“Doubt is the wellspring of discovery," she said. "And at Augustana you have learned to model Descartes’ seeker of truth. You have doubted. Sometimes, yourself. At all times, the answers you are given. The world needs your leadership now, in doubting all things.”

She said that innovation is no longer a buzzword; it is the expectation for how graduates will engage with the world.

“You will succeed precisely because of your ability to adapt, change, adjust and foresee. And what you will succeed in doing is what we might call micro-innovation — envisioning how to improve a process or community, work with technology, collaborate with others or create a new way of thinking. Innovation is not just about launching a rocket. It is about untangling everyday frictions and improving what’s around you.

“Your Augustana education has taught you synthesis over silos. Innovation rarely comes from inventing something out of thin air, but from connecting two previously unrelated dots."

President Talentino told graduates that they will be the leaders who don't ask how to improve a process, but why it exists.

“There’s no instruction manual for navigating an entirely new technology paradigm or political upheaval. And to that, you say, no problem. The liberal arts are built on ambiguity.

"Remember that you are the leaders the world will lean on. And though we live in an age where people express great certainty on topics, whether informed or not, never be afraid to express doubt.

“In the words of Ibn Khaldun, a 14th century Tunisian philosopher, 'He who finds a new path is a pathfinder, even if the trail has to be found again by others, and he who walks far ahead of his contemporaries is a leader, even though centuries pass before he is recognized as such.'

“Find new paths and walk out front. Godspeed.”

Student speaker: Niccolo Benvenuto ’26

Niccolo Benvenuto, called “a true Renaissance man” by Dr. Mike Wolf, came to Augustana after school in Italy and Denver, and then two gap years.

He took advantage of everything Augustana has to offer, joining in many clubs and activities, Student Government, volunteering, field trips and study abroad.

“I kept trying to think of something unique to say, then I realized that I’m the only one on this stage that knows how it truly feels to be a graduating college student in the year 2026,” he said.

“We’re graduating at a time when technology can answer questions instantly, artificial intelligence is reshaping entire industries, and more people are questioning the value of a college degree.

“Even if you believe in the value of higher education, you still have thousands of schools across the country to choose from. So from a student’s perspective, let me tell you what makes Augie special.

“I spent some time reading senior reflections, trying to find the one strength everyone seemed to agree on. To my surprise, not many mentioned our nutritious dining hall or our modern dorms. The answer was these people sitting in the first couple of rows: the faculty of Augustana College.

“Our professors hold masters and PhDs, and they conduct research on tropical islands, stunning mountains and medieval cities, but every single time they choose to come back to Rock Island, Illinois, to teach at a small liberal arts institution. This is what I call PASSION. The passion to work towards a greater good, to engage in a small community, and to shape young people’s lives.

“Augustana is a place where professors not only know our first and last names, but also our dreams and desires. They supported us in achieving those goals, they made us feel like people rather than LinkedIn profiles, and they taught us how to become adults.

“The first thing we learned in college is to cite only authoritative sources. So here I am quoting Winnie the Pooh. Winnie once said “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

“If today, or in the last couple of weeks or months you ever felt sad, whether you want to admit it or not, it means that you’re leaving with more than just a degree on a piece of paper and that is something beautiful. The world we enter today is uncertain. But Augustana taught us that uncertainty is not something to fear: it’s where growth begins.”

Commencement speaker: Ken Anderson ’71

Ken Anderson ’71 offered thanks for the opportunity to speak. It was his first Augustana commencement.

He left Augustana in his senior year for the National Guard and to prepare for a football career. Although he returned and received a degree in mathematics, he never got to wear the cap and gown.

But he said he got everything else Augustana provided.

“Augustana is not just where I went to college. It’s where I learned how to work, how to lead, how to deal with adversity, how to grow and how to become the person who can handle success without being defined by it.”

Anderson, the first Academic All-America athlete in Augustana’s history, spent his career with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, leading the team to its first Super Bowl in 1982, and earning NFL Most Valuable Player honors in 1981.

But character outlasts achievement, he said.

“You’ll be remembered for whether you were fair. Whether you were honest. Whether you showed humility in success and grace in failure.

“As I look back, I realize Augustana didn’t just prepare me for a career – it helped shape my values. It emphasized service, integrity and responsibility to others.

“You’re entering a world that needs leaders of character. People who do the right thing when no one is watching. People who have integrity over convenience and people of purpose over popularity. Be that person.”

Anderson reflected that graduates will find that the road to success rarely runs in a straight line, but failure is not a dead end.

“Failure is feedback,” he said. “Every setback taught me something. It taught me about preparation, about resilience and especially about humility.”

After great success early in his football career, Anderson endured several years of poor performance.

“In 1981 I was booed every game in the preseason. In the season opener, I thought I had to play perfectly. Well, I wasn’t. I threw three interceptions in the first quarter and was benched. The fans cheered.

“I thought my career might’ve been over. The coach asked me what I wanted to do. I said I wanted to start, and that’s where the resilience I was just talking about kicked in. We went to the playoffs. We went to our first Super Bowl. And I was MVP of the NFL.”

He said that Augustana graduates are prepared, having already faced tough exams, difficult conversations, time management struggles, and moments when they may have felt quitting was easier than continuing.

“But you didn’t quit. You adapted. You learned. You stayed the course. That’s Augustana in you.”

He predicted that most graduates will find some surprises in the future.

“I came to Augustana to become a high school math teacher and coach and to play basketball and baseball. Things sure changed.

“Who could’ve predicted I’d be addressing the 2026 graduating class of Augustana, but here I am filled with appreciation for my Augustana experience and filled with the wonder of who you’ll become years from now. I encourage you to dare to dream.”