Among the thousands of family members and friends who packed the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s 2026 Spring Commencement Ceremony to celebrate the university’s 2,800 graduates, one group stood out during the morning ceremony—the family and friends of graduate Cohen Ruport.
Ruport, who earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science, is known for his big, curly blond hair. To celebrate his milestone, 25 family members and friends from Alameda, California, showed up wearing wigs inspired by his signature voluminous corkscrew curls.
“I was not expecting it at all. It was crazy,” Ruport said after the ceremony. “Everyone kept asking, ‘Is that your family up there?’ It was really cool and very exciting to see them.”
Ruport said he is excited to graduate and grateful he chose UH Mānoa for college.
“It was really good and very different from home,” he said. “I love being in Hawaiʻi, and I love my professors. It was a great program, and I really enjoyed it.”
As for what comes next, Ruport’s family enthusiastically jumped in with the answer: a move to Lake Tahoe for rock climbing and skiing.
“And computer science,” Ruport added with a grin.
