The FGR Class of 2026 processed into Hill Auditorium at 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 21st, walked across the stage one by one, turned their tassels, and just before 8:00 pm, they exited the building, tossed their caps, and officially moved onto the next stage of their lives.
The 125 graduates collectively earned more than $18 million in college scholarships. Fourteen members have made commitments to play their sport in college, including three members of the FGR football team who will play together at Wayne State University in the fall, two girls basketball players who will take to the court at Western Michigan, and two track and field athletes who will run together at Benedictine College in Kansas.
Nearly 20% of the class has chosen to attend Catholic colleges, including three who will matriculate to the University of Notre Dame. While 18 will move across the state to attend colleges such as Hope College, Calvin University and Western Michigan University, 13 graduates will move across town to attend the University of Michigan.
Summa Cum Laude Speaker, Kate Kendzicky ’26, who will attend Hillsdale College in the fall, had these words for her classmates, “After we walk out these doors, we will be starting our new journeys in life. We will encounter new people and be exposed to different experiences, each of which will impact who we become as a person. I urge you to know who you want to become, and to find people who will help get you there.”