The ceremony also included a keynote address from former CIA Agent Michele Rigby Assad.
WEST PALM BEACH,听Fla.鈥�(May 8, 2026) 鈥撎齇ver听2,000 family and friends听gathered across three ceremonies听on Friday,听May听8,听to听celebrate听750 students听who completed听their听studies听at Palm Beach听Atlantic听University听(PBA).鈥�听
PBA听alumna听and former undercover CIA officer听Michele Rigby Assad听served as keynote speaker听for all three ceremonies. She听encouraged听the new听grads听with insights on听how to听live听successfully听no matter where life takes them from here.听
During her keynote address, Rigby Assad encouraged the graduates to remember three key things:听听
- To be curious about the world.听
- To be willing to do hard things. 听
- To trust God no matter what.
Rigby Assad,听married to听Joseph Assad, another听PBA听alumnus听who also worked with the CIA, shared听her personal journey from PBA to the CIA.听She highlighted that unclear or unconventional paths can still have meaningful purpose听and听challenged graduates not to fear hard places or avoid uncomfortable growth, noting that the most formative lessons often听happen听鈥渋n the trenches.鈥� Most of all, she urged them to carry an active, resilient faith into every part of life, believing that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when their faith is greater than their fear.听听
鈥淭he hard thing you鈥檙e avoiding, that might be exactly where God is calling you,鈥� said Rigby Assad. She continued,听鈥�Don鈥檛听be so anxious about the destination that you miss your own development.听The听end goal will materialize when听it鈥檚听supposed听to.听Your听job听right now听is听to听become听someone听worth听using.听The听world you are walking into is complex and constantly changing. My hope for you is not that it will be easy, but that it will be meaningful.鈥澨�听
Rigby听Assad,听who specialized in counterterrorism and served for 10 years in the Middle East, now听uses her听expertise听to aid in relief efforts for persecuted Christians.听In 2026, she听was awarded听the听听PBA听Women of Distinction Humanitarian Award.听She鈥檚听also an accomplished author, and her experiences inform her ability to deal with the most challenging people, which are highlighted in her bestselling memoir,鈥�淏reaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What it Taught Me鈥痑bout What鈥檚 Worth Fighting For.鈥� Her second book,鈥�淕et Off the X: CIA Secrets for Conquering Obstacles and Achieving Your Life鈥�s Mission,鈥� encourages readers to move beyond fear and comfort zones to take decisive action in pursuit of their purpose.听
PBA鈥檚听Class of 2026 includes 10 active-duty members and two ROTC members.听Over 500 graduates have earned bachelor鈥檚 degrees across various disciplines; over 200 students have earned master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees. Among the graduates are the听initial听cohort of students completing a major in听entrepreneurship and听franchising and the first three students to complete a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, and a Bachelor of Science in Business and Law, respectively.听
The top five programs represented this year are nursing (69 students), clinical mental听health counseling (59 students), MBA鈥�(49 students), business administration听(42 students), and marketing (38 students).听
For more information about this year鈥檚 Outstanding Graduates,听click here.
