The best is yet to come: college celebrates the class of 2026

The College of Family and Consumer Sciences welcomed nearly 400 members into the FACS alumni family at convocation on Friday, May 8.

In addition to roughly 350 undergraduates, the college celebrated three Destination Dawgs, three Destination Dawgs postgraduate fellows, 23 master's students and three doctoral students.

"Our graduates have persevered, and they have made all of us proud," FACS dean Anisa Zvonkovic told the crowd at The Classic Center's Grand Hall. "They have won awards, made friends and memories, laughed, cried and pushed themselves to their limit in pursuit of this goal."

The college also recognized several student honorees. First Honor Graduates were Lily Conrad (furnishings and interiors), Alyssa Haag (consumer economics), Ashlyn Joost (fashion merchandising), Keirsten Nizen (nutritional sciences), human development and family science majors Caroline Smith and Karlie Weinberg and fashion merchandising major Sarah Grace Williams.

Kira Haviland, a social entrepreneurship major, received the Bill and June Flatt Award for Outstanding Senior. Fashion merchandising major Caylin Payne delivered the student perspective address and nutritional sciences major Kailah Partridge gave the student challenge speech.

"Everything we’ve experienced here has prepared us for what’s ahead, even if we can’t fully see it yet," Partridge told the crowd. "So while it’s hard to leave the place that grounded us, we can move forward knowing we’re ready. Because, as uncertain as this moment may feel, one thing is certain: The best is yet to come."