On Sunday, May 17, 2026, graduates from UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies walked the historic University Lawn to recognize the completion of their degrees and join over 8,000 newly minted UVA alumni.
Following the procession, SCPS leadership awarded 172 Master of Public Safety degrees and 92 bachelor’s degrees – the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management - to adult learners.
Scholarships Fueled Student Achievement
Nearly sixty percent of SCPS bachelor’s degree graduates completed their education with scholarship assistance from a variety of critical sources, including institutional and donor funding both from SCPS and UVA financial aid.
"Our school's alumni, advisory board members, faculty, public safety community, and the broader UVA community have been so generous and receptive to our increased focus on raising philanthropic support for our students and programs. Because of their generosity, we have been able to make an immediate impact through scholarships," explained Jessica Robertson, Director of Development for UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
For these working adults who are often supporting families, scholarships are particularly meaningful in achieving their goals.
After a serious accident put financial pressure on his family and forced him to withdraw from UVA’s College of Arts and Sciences in 1988, Norm Aquilo retained the hope of finishing his degree someday. Finances and managing a career continued to make that dream feel out of touch until 2024, when he entered the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program. “The scholarships and financial aid I received significantly reduced the stress and hardship associated with returning to school as an adult learner. That support made it possible for me to focus on my coursework and persist toward completing a goal that had remained unfinished for many years.”
Participating in Sunday’s Final Exercises, Aquilo reflected, “Completing my degree has been deeply meaningful both personally and professionally. Personally, it represents the fulfillment of a goal that began decades ago. Returning to complete my education after many years required perseverance, discipline, and faith in the value of lifelong learning. Earning this degree has given me a strong sense of accomplishment and closure after an educational journey that was interrupted by difficult family circumstances.”
Awards and Honors Presented
Michael Duffy, a long-serving UVA employee whose return to education at UVA began in the Edge program, was selected Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree student speaker. Duffy reflected on the many ways his graduating class is different, with each student bringing diversity in age, culture, lived experiences, professions, and paths that led to the program. Despite these differences, Duffy argued the class is stronger through their shared bonds, the courage each shows every day in pursuing education, and in moving forward together. Duffy applauded his classmates for serving as inspirations to others.
Additional awards presented included:
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Highest GPA:
- Hollie Bush - Summer 2025
- Vivian Plante - Summer 2025
- Benjamin Stoneking - Summer 2025
- Kathleen Monahan - Fall 2025
- Lynn Edwards - Spring 2026
- Stefanie Eury - Spring 2026
- Lianna McAvoy - Spring 2026
- Mary Jane Prigge - Spring 2026
Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management Highest GPA:
- Hunter Anderson
Stephen T. Thornton Outstanding Capstone Project:
- Kathleen Monohan
Congratulations to all graduates of the University of Virginia!