Some 400 members of the Class of 2026 crossed the stage at Keuka College on Saturday during a Commencement ceremony filled with words of inspiration, tears of happiness, and an attitude of joy shared by some 2,000 friends, family members, and guests.
A surprise visitor added a jolt of emotion to an already emotion-filled day.
Madisyn Theresa Robinson-Mayer was one of two student speakers on Saturday, so she didn’t think anything was out of ordinary when President Amy Storey paused before delivering her own Commencement remarks to call Madisyn and fellow student speaker Akinlana Popoola to the front of the stage for thank-you photos.
Management major Madisyn Theresa Robinson-Mayer embraces her brother, Army Combat Medic Specialist Tyler Robinson, after he surprised her with his attendance at Keuka College's Commencement ceremony on Saturday. Madisyn was one of two student speakers at the ceremony.
Then the president, posing alongside Madisyn, spoke these words: “Madisyn, I think something’s missing from our picture. I would like to ask if Army Combat Medic Specialist Tyler Robinson can join us for a moment.”
Hand over her mouth, Madisyn turned to see her brother, bearing flowers and a huge smile. The pair embraced to cheers from the audience before posing with a photo with President Storey.
Following the ceremony, Madisyn said the secret was well kept.
“I was absolutely shocked,” she said. “I had no idea – he’s been lying to me for months!”
Madisyn Theresa Robinson-Mayer poses with family members following Saturday's Commencement ceremony. From left, mom Tonya Robinson-Mayer, brother Tyler Robinson, Madisyn, and mom Kim Mayer.
Tyler Robinson had flown overnight from Fort Stewart, Georgia, where he is currently stationed, to attend the ceremony. Though he managed to keep the trip secret from his younger sister, he said there was never any question about whether he would be on hand.
“My siblings are very important, and she’s the first one to graduate college,” he said. “She always looks up to me so it’s nice to be able to be there to support her. I’m proud of her.”
A Management major from Morrisonville, N.Y., Madisyn said her older brother’s unexpected attendance made the day extra special.
“It’s something I aways wished for,” she said. “I didn’t think he’d be able to make it, especially all the way from Georgia.”
It marked the second year in a row that a surprise military visitor highlighted the day for a graduate. At the College’s 2025 Commencement, Airman First Class Thomas Smith surprised his sister, Social Work major Elizabeth Stewart, by joining her onstage.
President Amy Storey is flanked by Men’s Basketball Head Coach Tom Wilk, left, and Marketing major Akinlana "AP" Popoola as the trio show off the Empire 8 Conference championship trophy that AP helped the Men’s Basketball team win.
And it was just one highlight in a day filled with them.
With the help of Men’s Basketball Head Coach Tom Wilk, student speaker Akinlana, known as AP, also shared a moment with the president. The trio posed for a photo with the Empire 8 Conference championship trophy that AP helped the Men’s Basketball team achieve.
President Storey touched frequently on the words of Madisyn and Marketing major AP while delivering her presidential address.
“Madisyn spoke about the courage it takes to change direction when the path you originally chose no longer fits the person you are becoming,” President Storey said. “She reminded us that ‘growth is not linear’ and that ‘change can lead to opportunity.’
“AP reminded us that setbacks are not signs of failure, but part of the process. I loved his phrase that ‘the steps backwards were a part of the dance.’ He reminded us that faith, perseverance, and community can carry us farther than anyone else thinks possible.”
The president also advised graduates to lead lives of integrity and self-awareness. She urged them to be honest with themselves about their mistakes, privileges, responsibilities, and, most importantly, about the kind of person they want to become.
“Remember that education is not simply about personal advancement. It is about what you contribute to the lives of others. That is the true measure of success.”
Additional Honors
A number of honors were announced during Commencement:
- Instructor of Biology Gylla MacGregor was named Keuka College Professor of the Year. The award is presented to instructors whose work is identified by their peers as particularly exemplary over the previous academic year.
- Adjunct Instructor of Social Work Susan Groover-Van Pelt was named the College’s Adjunct Instructor of the Year.
- The College also announced that recently retired Professor of Social Work Dr. Ed Silverman was named professor emeritus in recognition of his lengthy and dedicated service to the College and its students.
In addition, the College’s Commencement weekend events included the annual Baccalaureate Service on Friday, May 15. The annual service, a reflective ceremony celebrating student achievements and future journeys, included student reflections and presentations offered by graduating seniors and New York residents Ava Deacon of Branchport, Jasmine Downs of Schenectady, Jillian Doores of Canandaigua, Virginia Guevara-Crysler of Cicero, Quin Mussafiri of Buffalo, Alaina Smith of Penn Yan, and Kamille Wooden of Buffalo. The Baccalaureate Address was delivered by Associate Director of Athletics for Facilities and Alumni Relations Jeff Bray.
