News & School Life

Celebrating the Class of 2026

A Note from the High School

Dear families and friends,
I can’t believe that we are less than a month away from our beloved Class of 2026 graduating from USN. I have enjoyed my time with this class, which started with their Junior Retreat last year through all of our special interactions this year. While our time together is running short, we know they are ready for their next adventures and challenges.
The 98 members of the Class of 2026 collectively lead with empathy. There is a lot of uncertainty in the world they are stepping into, which means they have the opportunity to make big changes in the communities they choose to enter. The class of 2026 will venture out across the world, and we hope that USN will always be a home for them.
As we enter the final weeks of celebrations, I want to take a moment to list many of the events and opportunities that will help us to honor the Class of 2026. Please note that some of these events are open to everyone, while some are not. You can also find these celebrations listed on our USN Class of 2026 webpage.
  • Black and African-American Heritage Senior Celebration: Saturday, May 2 at 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @ USN Durnan Auditorium (Families welcome.)
  • HS Awards Day: Friday, May 8 at 12:30 - 2:30 P.M. @ USN (Students only.)
  • HOLA Senior Celebration: Saturday, May 9 at 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. (Families welcome.) This gathering will happen off-campus. Please contact Arcelia Vazquez with any questions.
  • Convocation: Tuesday, May 12 at 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. @ USN Durnan Auditorium (Immediate families welcome.) We will gather in Durnan Auditorium to welcome the Class of 2026 into the PDS/USN Alumni Association. This evening marks the beginning of our formal Commencement Week activities. Of the events of the week, Convocation is perhaps the most formal of them all and includes an official welcome, the presentation of a Distinguished Alumni award, and a reception. 
  • Senior Day: Thursday, May 14 (Seniors only.) We will host a full slate of programming to honor the seniors as a class, prepare them for Commencement, and reflect on the programming and messages that we started them with back in August.  
  • Commencement Rehearsal: Thursday, May 14 at 2:00 - 4:00 P.M. (Seniors only.) Commencement Rehearsal will begin at 2 P.M. Thursday. This rehearsal will help familiarize graduates with the exact elements of Commencement Day. Graduates also receive their caps, gowns, and other needed details of the Commencement celebration. We’ll have graduates back to you all by 4 P.M.
  • Commencement:  Sunday, May 17  Whether this is your first or final child to graduate from USN, Commencement is one of USN’s hallmark moments. Imbued by the spirit of both gratitude and revelry, USN’s Commencement Exercises take place on the Back Lawn of University School promptly at 2 P.M. Seating opens at 12:30 P.M. under the tent. There are no assigned seats; rather, there are designated areas for immediate family to sit closer to the front of the tent with other seating reserved for friends of the graduates and the USN community. We have seating for almost 2,000 people at the ceremony — it truly is a come-one, come-all event. We don’t have limited tickets; you’re welcome to invite all of your friends and family.
  • If you need special accommodations for a guest with mobility challenges, please make arrangements with Laura Snow by Monday, May 11. Should you have questions, please reach out to Laura or me at any time.  Happy to help.
 
The final few weeks will be full of many emotions … both for your graduate and you. While they might be facing a rollercoaster of emotions, make sure you keep your feet firmly planted on the ground and help your senior to take deep breaths. These are new waters for them, and together we can help them maximize how special these moments are for them and you.
Thank you for sharing your seniors with me and our faculty/staff. While my time with you all has been short, it has been very impactful, and I am grateful for how much this group has contributed to the pride we have for USN.
Chai Reddy
Head of High School

Senior Events Quick Reference

Prom
Saturday, April 18 at 7:00 - 10:00 P.M

HS Awards Day
Friday, May 8 at 12:30 - 2:30 P.M. @ USN (students only)

Black and African-American Heritage Senior Celebration
Saturday, May 2 at 4:00 - 6:00 P.M. @ USN Durnan Auditorium (families welcome)

HOLA Senior Celebration
Saturday, May 9 at 4:00 - 6:00 P.M.
(families welcome; contact avazquez@usn.org for more information)

Convocation
Tuesday, May 12 at 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. @ USN Durnan Auditorium (families welcome)

Senior Day
Thursday, May 14 (seniors only)    

Commencement Rehearsal
Thursday, May 14 at 2:00 - 4:00 P.M. (seniors only)   

Commencement
Sunday, May 17, 2:00pm
 

Senior Photo Albums

Class of 2026 in the News

List of 6 news stories.

  • 1st Class of 2026 college signing takes place

    Maeve Stevenson '26 will play volleyball for Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
    Read More

  • 5 USN students named National Merit Semifinalists

    The National Merit Scholarship Program honors seniors whose PSAT scores show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Congratulations to seniors Darcy Dove, Finch Fleming, Evan Giles, Ismaeel Moskinzada, and Lin Zheng for this honor.
    Read More
  • Seniors are inducted into the Cum Laude Society on Wednesday, October 8 in the Gordon Multipurpose Room.

    Cum Laude Society welcomes 19 seniors

    Congratulations to the Class of 2026 inductees of the USN Cum Laude Society: Isabella Louise Aulino, Benjamin Wyatt Block, Eva Isabella Choe, Binyam Fisher Dunne, Saawan Suhaan Duvvuri, Uma Bela Ehrig, Cody James Farr, Erin Elise Ilagan, Amelia Casey Keuler, Henry Fisher Knowles, Meredith Anne Kojetin, Alice Boyd Littlehale, Agnes Adeliza McLemore, Ismaeel Moskinzada, Paulo Saoud, Ida Cecilie Schmidt, Evelyn Maeve Stevenson, Claire Emma Ward, and Lin Zheng.
    Read More

  • Senior named Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar

    Congratulations to Lin Zheng ’26 for her recent accomplishment. The Regeneron Science Talent Search is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. This honor places Lin among the top 300 STEM students in the United States.
    Read More

  • Senior recognized by Princeton University

    Congratulations to Alondra Martínez Ordaz ’26, who was recently awarded a certificate of accomplishment by the Nashville Committee of the Princeton Prize in Race Relations.
    Read More
  • As legislators look on, Binyam delivers a speech to the Tennessee State Senate.

    Senior speaks on Tennessee Senate Floor

    Binyam Dunne ’26 recently paid a visit to the Tennessee State Capitol to speak on the floor about his experience with the Tennessee Center for Civic Engagement.
    Read More
Archive

Contact USN

Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212

Phone:  615-321-8000
Fax:       615-321-0889 
Email:    info@usn.org

River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218

Quick Links

USN Mission: 
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.