Ballet dancer Misty Copeland to deliver 2026 Commencement address
Baccalaureate speaker will be Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World
Ballet dancer, author and founder Misty Copeland, who made history as the first Black woman to become a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, will deliver Wake Forest University’s commencement address on Monday, May 18. The ceremony will take place on Hearn Plaza and begins at 9 a.m.
Copeland began her ballet studies at the late age of 13. At 15, she won first place in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. In September 2000, Copeland joined the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) as a member of the corps de ballet. In 2015, she was promoted to principal dancer, becoming the first Black woman to hold the position in the company’s 75-year history. Copeland retired from the ABT in 2025.
Author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, “Life in Motion,” Copeland recently released “Letters to Misty,” which shares her advice to young dancers, inspired by the letters she has received over the years. Copeland’s book series for young children, “Bunheads” and ”Bunheads 2,” was inspired by her early experiences in ballet.
“Misty Copeland’s trailblazing career is a masterclass in purposeful excellence,” said Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente. “Not only did she ascend to the pinnacle of her field, she widened the path for everyone behind her. By refusing to rest on her exceptional talent, Misty has made the world of dance stronger, more inclusive, and infinitely more beautiful for the next generation of performers.”
Copeland has been featured in numerous television programs, including “CBS Sunday Morning,” “60 Minutes,” “The Today Show,” MSNBC’s “Melissa Harris Perry,” as well as several national magazines, including Vogue, Essence, Ebony, and People Magazine. In 2021, she was awarded the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor, and in 2023, she received the Trailblazer Icon Award at The Grio Awards. Other honors include Glamour’s Women of the Year and Black Girls Rock! Awards and Time100: Most Influential People list.
An avid philanthropist, Copeland is an ambassador of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, of which she is also an alumna. In 2022, she launched The Misty Copeland Foundation, with its first signature program BEBOLD, which aims to transform conventional dance education and strives to make ballet accessible, affordable, and fun.
Baccalaureate Speaker Selected
Also joining Wake Forest for the commencement weekend will be baccalaureate speaker Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World, a nationwide Christian advocacy organization that educates on hunger and equips people to advocate for policies to end it in the U.S. and around the world. He preaches and speaks about Bread’s mission to end hunger, justice and leadership at the intersection of faith and public life.
Baccalaureate will be held on Sunday, May 17, at 11 a.m. in Wait Chapel.
About Commencement Events
- Commencement and Baccalaureate are ticketed events reserved for graduates, their families and guests and are not open to the public.
- Media credentials are required to attend commencement events. Parking passes will be required to enter campus. All members of the media are also asked to carry their own media credentials. Email media@wfu.edu to request credentials and parking passes no later than Monday, May 11.
- Livestream webcasts of the commencement ceremony and baccalaureate will be available on the University’s commencement website, and recordings of each will be posted after the event.
Additional information about Wake Forest’s commencement weekend is available at commencement.wfu.edu.
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