Yesterday, the University of Minnesota announced that it will no longer host high school graduation ceremonies on their Minneapolis campus. Four of our District 196 high schools, Apple Valley HS, Eagan HS, Eastview HS, and Rosemount HS were scheduled to have their graduations on the U of MN campus this Spring on Saturday, May 30 at the 3M Arena at Mariucci. We are disappointed because Mariucci was an excellent venue, with expert staff, and it allowed unlimited tickets for families to attend.

After learning of this decision, we asked the University to delay the change one year to allow 2026 graduations to take place as planned. The University denied that request and confirmed that the change will take effect beginning with the 2026 graduation season.

Our administrative team is already working to secure new venues and is in contact with several large sites across the Twin Cities. We remain fully committed to providing a safe, meaningful and memorable graduation experience that allows families and guests to celebrate our students’ accomplishments.

We understand how important this milestone is for our seniors and their families, and we will share an update with specific venue information as soon as plans are finalized.