2026 Commencement Speakers

The University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR) will celebrate commencement on Saturday, May 16 at 11 a.m. at the Mayo Civic Center Auditorium. The following individuals have been selected to speak at the ceremony: 

Tim Doherty, PhD

Faculty Speaker

Dr. Tim Doherty earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota Morris in chemistry. He has always been interested in science and became interested in teaching chemistry during his time at Morris, due in large part to his dedicated chemistry professors. After graduating, he worked in an NMR lab at 3M where his desire to teach was crystalized. Tim completed his PhD at Iowa State University. He taught at a community college before finding his home at UMR in 2019. He teaches first- and second-year chemistry with an interest in helping students during what can be a stressful time. 

He is an exemplar Hufflepuff that has worked to find a healthy balance between work, life, study and sleep that he constantly tries to communicate to his students. In his free time, he spends time with his wife and two daughters and likes to be outside, especially when fishing.

Angel Lopez

Bachelor of Science in Health Professions Student, Sonography

Angel Lopez was born and raised in Norwalk, California, where his passion for helping others first took root. That drive led him to UMR, where he found the perfect environment to grow, be challenged and reach his full potential. It was here that sonography found him — a field that not only demands a diverse and dynamic skill set but one that allowed him to build on the strengths he had already developed. 

Today, as he stands here celebrating this milestone, he is proud to announce that he will be joining the Mayo Clinic as a diagnostic medical sonographer, ready to serve patients and make a lasting impact every single day.

Lee El Cohen

Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Student

Lee El Cohen, from Plymouth, Minnesota, is a first-generation college student and first-generation American who chose to attend UMR, unsure of exactly what career path to pursue, but quickly fell in love with the variety, opportunities and possibilities within the health care field.

Along the way, Cohen became deeply involved in campus life and the community, serving as an orientation welcome leader (OWL) for three years, including two as head OWL, where he enjoyed helping new students find their place. He also contributed to student leadership through the Rochester Student Association Board and as co-president of Gender and Sexuality Alliance Rochester (GSAR), while participating as a scholar in the Health CORE Living Learning Community.

After graduation, Cohen plans to take a gap year before pursuing a master’s degree in Nursing. Above all, he hopes to build a future centered on compassion, connection and making others feel seen and supported.

Sara Abbas '23

Alumna

Sara Abbas '23 is currently a fellow in transplant medicine at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville.