A New Clock Begins

By Sloan MacRae, May 16, 2026
The 2026 Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony celebrates resilience, trust, and the possibilities ahead.
Graduate students at a commencement ceremony wear caps and gowns.

Graduates at the2026 Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony. (Photo by Chris Kitchen)

“What did one platelet say to another on their graduation day? … Coagulations.”

The joke drew laughs inside Ithaca College’s Athletics and Events Center on Saturday afternoon, May 16. Its deadpan explanation—“It’s funny because platelets play an important role in the blood clotting process, also known as coagulation, which sounds a lot like congratulations”—drew another round of laughter and applause for keynote speaker and assistant professor of exercise science and athletic training Tim Reynolds ’12, DPT ’14.

“But in all seriousness,” Reynolds continued, “the lesson for today is on time, uncertainty, and trust.”

The remarks anchored Ithaca College’s 2026 Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony, part of a weekend of Commencement events unfolding across South Hill on a sunny 77-degree Saturday that offered graduates and their families a welcome break from the cool, rainy start to Commencement Week. During Saturday’s ceremony, Ithaca College conferred 187 graduate degrees, including Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees and master’s degrees in Athletic Training, Exercise and Sport Sciences, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Accounting, Entertainment and Media Management, and Education.

A bearded professor in cap and gown speaks to audience at commencement.

Tim Reynolds ’12, DPT ’14, keynote speaker, assistant professor of exercise science and athletic training, and TikTok star. (Photo by Chris Kitchen)

With 187 graduate degrees conferred Saturday compared with roughly 1,000 undergraduate degrees expected Sunday, the Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony offered a more intimate scale, though not a quieter one. Cheers regularly erupted across Glazer Arena as graduates crossed the stage.

For Reynolds—an IC alumnus, clinician, educator, and social media creator known to his students and millions of others online for his anatomy and physiology quiz TikToks—the ceremony became an opportunity to reflect on the uncertainty that often shapes both professional and personal lives.

He told graduates that while 4,382 days had passed since he earned his doctoral degree from Ithaca College, the more meaningful number for the gathered students was somewhere between 1,727 and 2,076—roughly how long it had been since their first day of college.

Over those roughly 2,000 days, Reynolds said, graduates had built friendships, joined organizations, attended Cortaca Jug games and AppleFest, performed, studied, and gradually arrived at a moment that once felt far away but now suddenly seemed close.

“And while we may not know what the future holds,” he told graduates, “trust in the process, and more importantly, trust in yourselves.”

A woman wearing a cap and gown addresses the audience.

President La Jerne Terry Cornish addresses the graduates and the audience. (Photo by Chris Kitchen)

That message echoed themes raised earlier in the ceremony by Ithaca College President La Jerne Terry Cornish, who framed the ceremony around dialogue, curiosity, and the courage to confront uncertainty directly.

“This academic year, our campus theme has been dialogue; a reminder that learning begins not simply by speaking, but by listening,” Cornish said. “Dialogue challenges us to remain curious, to engage across differences, and to seek understanding even when it is difficult.”

Cornish told graduates that the world would need the skills they developed during their time at Ithaca College: the ability to think critically, communicate thoughtfully, and engage meaningfully with others. She also urged graduates to continue seeking perspectives different from their own and to “ask thoughtful questions.”

“Uncertainty is not something to fear,” Cornish said. “Many of the most meaningful moments in life begin with uncertainty; with a step taken before the path is fully visible.”

Women wearing caps and gowns congratulate graduates.

President Cornish (left) and Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Melanie Stein (center) congratulate graduates. (Photo by Chris Kitchen)

As part of a tradition dating back to Ithaca College’s centennial year in 1992, graduates also received medallions inscribed with a quotation selected by the president. This year’s quote came from iconic writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

The response inside the arena was immediate, with applause interrupting the ceremony as graduates and families reacted to Baldwin’s words.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Melanie Stein reflected on the unique rewards of graduate education, describing advanced study as both professionally transformative and personally fulfilling.

“As much as I loved exploring as an undergraduate, I found the focus of graduate study extraordinarily fulfilling,” Stein said. “Everything I learned in my graduate studies prepared me directly for the next step in my professional journey.”

Near the end of his address, Reynolds returned to the idea of time and what graduates would do with it next.

“Today, we start a new clock,” Reynolds told graduates. “One that may be filled with uncertainty, but also with incredible opportunity.”