Bryn Mawr Online School holds first commencement for Class of 2026

Bryn Mawr Online School marked its first graduation ceremony on June 7, 2026, on the Bryn Mawr School’s Baltimore campus, honoring a seven-student inaugural class. The milestone highlights how the online division has expanded the school’s mission to students across the U.S. and abroad.

Why it matters: - Bryn Mawr Online School’s first commencement signals that the 2022-founded program has moved from startup phase to a full K-12-style pipeline with graduates. - The inaugural class underscores the school’s reach beyond Baltimore, with students from across the U.S. and around the world. - The graduates’ college destinations show the online division is placing students at selective institutions in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada.

What happened: - The Bryn Mawr School held the inaugural Bryn Mawr Online School graduation ceremony on Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the school’s Baltimore campus. - The ceremony honored BMOS’s first graduating cohort of seven students. - The class included Sofia Afable, Emily Finnigan, Olivia Johnson, Taylor McElhaney, Indigo Powell, Claire Rhodes and Ava Stanley. - The ceremony was livestreamed for family, friends and peers in multiple time zones and countries.

The details: - BMOS was founded in 2022 as a “fifth” division of The Bryn Mawr School. - The online program extends the school’s 141-year mission to girls across the United States and globally. - BMOS uses live, synchronous instruction from Bryn Mawr faculty. - The program is designed to combine flexible remote learning with the school’s challenging curriculum, individualized attention and supportive community. - The graduates are headed to Fairfield University, Jacksonville State University, Loyola University Chicago, University of Roehampton in the U.K., University of Virginia, University of Waterloo in Canada and Vassar College. - Justin Curtis, head of BMOS, said the Class of 2026 helped build the school’s community by shaping traditions and championing its values. - The commencement featured keynote remarks from Curtis and an address by Student Government President Taylor McElhaney. - The ceremony included video features showing the class’s experience across distances. - BMOS presented its first Nexus Award to Olivia Johnson. - The Nexus Award recognizes the person who connects, supports and empowers others to help the community achieve more together.

Between the lines: - The first graduation gives BMOS a tangible proof point as online independent schools compete on both academic rigor and community-building. - The mix of domestic and international college placements suggests the program is positioning itself as a global alternative to traditional boarding or local day-school options. - The ceremony’s emphasis on traditions and community shows BMOS is trying to make an online model feel institutionally equivalent to an on-campus experience.

What's next: - BMOS will now look to build on the precedent set by the Class of 2026 as more students move through the program. - The online division’s next challenge is sustaining enrollment, community identity and college outcomes as it expands. - Bryn Mawr Online School directs readers to more information.