Charter Oak State College awards more than 650 degrees at 2026 commencement

By AI, Created 6:13 PM UTC, May 15, 2026, /AGP/ – Charter Oak State College conferred degrees on more than 650 graduates at its 2026 commencement Thursday in Hartford, Connecticut. The class spanned ages 18 to 68 and came from 27 states, underscoring the college’s reach among working adult learners.

Why it matters: - Charter Oak State College serves working adults who often balance school with jobs and family responsibilities. - The Class of 2026 shows the scale of demand for flexible online higher education, with graduates from 27 states and an average age of 35. - The college’s degree programs feed into fields with sustained labor demand, including healthcare, nursing, technology, business, education and public safety.

What happened: - Charter Oak State College awarded degrees to more than 650 members of the Class of 2026 on Thursday evening at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, Connecticut. - The commencement was streamed live for people unable to attend in person. - Kristen Fox, CEO of the Business-Higher Education Forum in Washington, D.C., delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree. - Charter Oak State College President Ed Klonoski addressed graduates during the ceremony. - Kendra McDonald of Middletown, Connecticut, served as student speaker and earned a Nursing: RN/ADN to BSN degree.

The details: - The Class of 2026 included graduates ages 18 to 68. - The graduating class represented 27 states. - Klonoski congratulated graduates for pursuing college degrees as working adults with busy lives and family responsibilities. - Klonoski said graduates followed a non-traditional path to a degree and described commencement as another milestone along that road. - McDonald told classmates about balancing work, school and raising three children. - McDonald thanked Charter Oak for turning years of hard work and sacrifice into a completed degree. - McDonald urged classmates to carry perseverance, compassion and determination into what comes next. - Charter Oak State College offers associate and bachelor’s degrees in Business, Healthcare, Technology, Nursing, Social Work, Education and Public Safety. - The college also offers master’s degrees in Organizational Leadership, Health Data Analytics, Healthcare Administration, Curriculum and Instruction, and Integrated Early Childhood/Elementary and Special Education (B-G3). - Charter Oak State College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and governed by Connecticut’s Board of Regents for Higher Education. - Forbes named Charter Oak State College one of America’s Top Colleges in 2026.

Between the lines: - The ceremony highlights how online and adult-serving institutions continue to expand access for students who cannot follow a traditional four-year campus path. - The range in age and geography suggests Charter Oak’s model appeals to learners at different life stages and across state lines. - The student speaker’s story reflects the college’s emphasis on degree completion as a practical outcome for adults already managing major responsibilities.

What’s next: - Graduates will move into careers or continue advanced study with newly earned credentials. - Charter Oak State College is likely to keep positioning itself around flexible degree completion for working adults and career-focused fields. - The college’s live-streamed ceremony model may remain part of how it serves a dispersed student body.

The bottom line: - Charter Oak State College’s 2026 commencement underscored the role of online higher education in helping working adults turn years of effort into degrees.