Campus Community Celebrates Class of 2026
Hundreds of Students Transition to Alumni Status During Commencement Ceremonies in Sacramento, Vallejo
.jpg)
The transition began as more than 400 students from the Touro University California Class of 2026 crossed the stage to accept their degrees as new practitioners. Across three days of ceremonies starting May 18, the university sent a diverse group of clinicians, educators, and researchers into a workforce that needs their expertise now more than ever.
Dr. Tami Hendriksz, DO, FACOP, FAAP, Provost, Chief Academic Officer of Touro University California, and Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine reflected on the 2026 commencement ceremonies.
“For 29 years, Touro University California has proudly prepared healthcare professionals, educators, and leaders who are committed to improving the lives of the communities they serve. This year’s commencement ceremonies were a powerful reflection of that mission in action,” Hendriksz said, who graduated with the TUCOM Class of 2006.
“Watching graduates from osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, nursing, public health, education, medical health sciences, and diagnostic medical sonography cross the stage was both inspiring and deeply meaningful, not only because of the tremendous hard work and resilience it took to get there, but because of the impact they are now poised to make in the world,” Hendriksz said.
COM: Real-World Insights from Dr. Ben Abo
The College of Osteopathic Medicine kicked off the series the evening of May 18. The atmosphere remained focused on the realities of the field, bolstered by keynote speaker and alum Dr. Benjamin N. Abo, DO, who graduated with the TUCOM Class of 2011.
As an Emergency Physician and Toxinologist, Dr. Abo brought a unique perspective on handling high-stakes medical environments. His address challenged the new doctors to remain adaptable and grounded in the osteopathic tradition of treating the whole person, regardless of the chaos of the clinical setting.
A Milestone of Firsts
The morning of May 19 saw a joint ceremony for the College of Pharmacy and the College of Education and Health Sciences.
While the room hummed with the energy of new pharmacists ready to enter clinical and community roles, the event also marked a historical first for the university: the graduation of the inaugural Diagnostic Medical Sonography class.
These individuals now enter the healthcare landscape as the first TUC-trained specialists in their field, filling a vital gap in local diagnostic capabilities.
The College of Pharmacy also celebrated a truly unique transitional moment. The final graduating cohort of the accelerated 3-year PharmD program and the inaugural graduating class of the new 4-year program crossed the stage together, creating an exceptionally large and vibrant network of new TUC pharmacy alumni.
MSMHS: Forging Paths to Excellence
Commencement concluded May 20 with the Master of Science in Medical Health Sciences program.
Guest speaker Dr. Yasmin Bains, DO, MSc, addressed the graduates, many of whom utilized the MSMHS program as a rigorous stepping stone toward further doctoral training.
Bains, a 2016 alumna of the MSMHS program and a 2021 graduate of the DO program, spoke to the resilience required to navigate the complexities of graduate medical education, highlighting the academic foundation the Class of 2026 built during their tenure on Mare Island.
With the final tassels turned, these graduates officially join a network of alumni dedicated to improving health equity and education.