Bay Path University Celebrates New Academic Year at 2026 Convocation

Bay Path University welcomed students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests to campus for its 2026 Convocation, marking the beginning of a new academic year and celebrating the University’s 130th anniversary.

The annual ceremony celebrates students at two significant points in their Bay Path experience: first-year and transfer students beginning their Bay Path journeys and seniors preparing to graduate and take their next steps beyond the University.

With this year’s university theme of momentum, Convocation served as a reminder of Bay Path’s ongoing growth and evolution, highlighting the acquisition of Cambridge College, which doubled the size of the student population and extended Bay Path’s presence into Boston and Puerto Rico. 

This year’s Convocation speaker, Dr. Logan Kaler '18, offered students a firsthand example of how a Bay Path education can lead to unexpected opportunities. Kaler majored in biology and conducted undergraduate research with Dr. Yadilette Rivera-Colón before earning her Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of Maryland. She is now a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Materials Science Division at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where she specializes in biophysics and microscopy.

Kaler shared her own struggles with imposter syndrome and how she found confidence through her experiences at Bay Path, where she was able to connect with professors, form close friendships, and be exposed to diverse ideas and subjects. “Believe the people who believe in you,” she advised. 

President Doran also encouraged students to approach the year ahead with curiosity and an openness to the unexpected. Addressing seniors, she offered three words to carry with them into the next chapter of their lives: respect, integrity, and gratitude.

Following Convocation, the Bay Path community continued the celebration with an event bringing together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests to officially welcome the 2026-27 academic year.