Each spring, family, friends, faculty, and staff come together to honor our graduates’ achievements and passion for art and design. Here you’ll find important details on ceremony dates, venue information, livestream access, and how to make the day unforgettable. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with our newest Otis College alumni.
2026 Commencement Speaker
Mei-Lee Ney
At this year’s Commencement, Mei-Lee Ney, Chair of the Board of Trustees, will deliver the keynote address and be awarded an honorary degree. A native of Shanghai and president of Richard Ney & Associates Asset Management, Ney has had a transformative impact on Otis College through her leadership and philanthropy, including major support for DEI initiatives, the Charles White Art and Design Scholarship, and a $10 million gift recognized through the naming of the Mei-Lee Ney Design Studio.
Guest Information
- Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
- Location: Long Beach Terrace Theater
- Address: 300 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90802
- Ceremony Time: Noon–2:00 pm (PST)
- ADA/Accommodation Seating Opens: 10:45 am
- All Seating Opens: 11:00 am
- Commencement begins at 12:00 pm sharp. The ceremony will last approximately 2 hours. There is no reception following the ceremony. After the ceremony adjourns, all graduates will be asked to exit the LB Terrace Theater to allow for the staff to clean up the space.
- Cameras are allowed; please note, we are required by the theater venue to have the aisles remain clear at all times. A professional photographer will take a picture of each graduate as they cross the stage. Students will be able to order copies of photos from the photographer.
- During the ceremony, graduates and guests should refrain from excessive talking, cheering, use of noisemakers, and any other distractions that take away from the dignity of the ceremony.
Prohibited Items:
- No Weapons of Any Kind
- No Tabacco or Vape Products
- No Alcoholic Beverages
- No Marijuana Products or Paraphernalia
- No Helium Balloons
- No Foghorns or Lound Noisemakers
- No Strollers
- No Confetti Cannons
- No Animals (Except Service Animals)
- Anything Considered a Safety Issue
Each graduating student will be eligible to receive up to 6 tickets for guests to
attend Commencement.
Additional ticket availability will be based on how many tickets are reserved through
the Commencement Participation Form. The deadline for every student to complete their
Commencement Participation Form is April 14, 2026.
All ticket requests are now closed. Graduates are encouraged to visit MyOtis Dashboard Commencement Page for more information.
Parking is in the Terrace Theater Garage (66 Collins Way, Long Beach, CA 90802) and is $15/vehicle, Carpooling Encouraged
Parking fee is good for UNTIL 8PM! Visit any of these areas post-Commencement to celebrate:
- The Pike Outlets
- Creme De La Crepe (0.2 mi)
- Islands (0.2 mi)
- Chili's (0.2 mi)
- The Breakfast Bar (0.3 mi)
- YardHouse (0.3 mi)
- Thai District (0.3 mi)...and more!
- All guests over 1 years old must have a ticket in order to enter the Commencement venue.
- Guests younger than 1 years old who can be on an adult's lap will not need a ticket.
- All guest seating is not assigned. No saving seats will be allowed.
- Wheelchair access is available and a sign-language interpreter will be at the program.
All accommodation requests need to be made through the Commencement Participation
Form.
As learned from the previous years, the event is subject to change and we will be
sure to keep folks updated. Please be on the look out for more information in the
upcoming months.