The 2026 INI Diploma Ceremony Celebrates the Possibility of the Future and the 36th Class

On Sunday, May 10, the Information Networking Institute (INI) held its annual Diploma Ceremony during Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Commencement weekend. This year, 197 students joined a bustling and innovative network of over 3,000 alumni spanning the globe. 127 were in attendance at Rodef Shalom to be recognized for their momentous accomplishment by their peers, family and INI faculty and staff.   

Before the ceremony, INI Director Dr. Dena Haritos Tsamitis called the mothers to the stage in order to recognize the impact they have had. “Without them, none of this would be possible,” Dr. Haritos Tsamitis said as the crowd applauded.   

The world looks very different from when the 36th class began their program, a sentiment that was echoed in the speech by Dr. Haritos Tsamitis.  

"Artificial intelligence has changed this field at an extraordinary pace,” she said. "Systems once designed primarily to automate tasks are now reshaping how humans create, solve problems and collaborate, but even in the middle of all this change, some things matter just as much as they always have. Your character. Your judgment. Your ability to lead through uncertainty."  

Dr. Haritos Tsamitis highlighted the importance of human decision making as technology continues to develop and change.  

She reflected on the INI's recent role as regional host of the Center for Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Community Symposium, which underscored the critical role that humans play in the management of these systems. “What stood out to me most during that event wasn’t just the technology. It was the shared recognition that human judgment, ethics, responsibility and trust have never mattered more.    

“The systems you build do not exist in isolation. They affect people. Your INI degree and your technical expertise will open doors, but your values will determine what you do once you walk through them.”  

The themes of change and leading with humanity continued throughout the ceremony with Keynote Speaker Aditi Pendharkar. After sharing a touching memory with Dr. Haritos Tsamitis, Pendharkar took the podium to inspire graduates with her message. 

“You are probably the last generation that thought coding was the hard part," said Pendharkar. "It isn’t anymore — and that’s not a loss. It’s a liberation.

"We are in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime shift. Right now, when building becomes easier, your focus shifts to bigger questions: What should we build? Why should it exist?”   

To conclude her speech, Pendharkar shared some final advice. “Always be building — and understand that what you build shapes how the world behaves,” she said. “Your real edge is being human — protect it with all your passion. Choose what you optimize for, because AI will take that choice and scale it everywhere.”  

She concluded her speech with a quote from poet Sir Muhammad Iqbal: “You are an eagle — your purpose is to soar; there are many more skies ahead of you.”