2019 Commencement Speakers at Jesuit Colleges and Universities

Contact: Deanna Howes Spiro, Director of Communications, AJCU
(202) 862-9893, dhowes@ajcunet.edu

It’s that time of year again! The following is a list of speakers and dates for the 2019 commencement ceremonies at Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. (Please note that this list will continue to be updated; stay tuned for more speaker announcements over the next few weeks.)

   

 

Boston College: Undergraduate: May 20, Law: May 24
Undergraduate: Isabel Capeloa Gil (Rector of the Catholic University of Portugal and President of the International Federation of Catholic Universities)
Law: Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott ‘73 (D-VA)

Canisius University: Graduate: May 15, Undergraduate: May 18
Graduate: Hon. Lawrence J. Vilardo ’77 (U.S. District Court Judge)
Undergraduate: David N. Campbell (Co-Founder and Chairman of All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response) 

College of the Holy Cross: May 24
Jane McAuliffe (American educator and world-renowned scholar of Islam)

Creighton University: Undergraduate & Graduate: May 18
Undergraduate & Graduate: Kyle Korver ‘03 (NBA basketball player for the Utah Jazz)

Fairfield University: Undergraduate & Graduate: May 19
Undergraduate: Chris Lowney (Celebrated author, co-founder of Jesuit Commons and vice-chair of the board of CommonSpirit Health)
Graduate: Billy Shore (Founder of Share Our Strength and the “No Kid Hungry” campgain, former Congressional appointee to the National Commission on Hunger)

   

 

Fordham University: May 18
Timothy Shriver, Ph.D. (Board Chair of the Special Olympics)

Georgetown University: Georgetown University in Qatar (May 9); McCourt School of Public Policy (May 16); Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, School of Continuing Studies, McDonough School of Business [undergraduate, graduate] (May 17); Georgetown College, School of Nursing & Health Studies, Walsh School of Foreign Service [undergraduate, graduate] (May 18); School of Medicine, Georgetown Law (May 19)

• Georgetown University in Qatar: HE Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani (Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations)

• McCourt School of Public Policy: José Andrés (Chef and Owner, ThinkFoodGroup Founder, World Central Kitchen Honorary Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters)

• Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: Mark S. Humayan ’84 (University Professor of Ophthalmology; Cornelius J. Pings Chair in Biomedical Sciences; Director, USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics; and Co-Director, USC Roski Eye Institute)

• School of Continuing Studies: Christina M. (Tina) Tchen (Co-Founder, Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund Former Chief of Staff to First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama)

• McDonough School of Business: Joseph Patrick Baratta II ’93 (Global Head of Private Equity, Senior Managing Director, Blackstone Dean’s Medal)

• Georgetown College: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Author of six books, including national bestseller Americanah)

• School of Nursing & Health Studies: Joan Rosenhauer (Executive Director of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA)

• School of Foreign Service: Madeleine K. Albright (Former Secretary of State, Chair of Albright Stonebridge Group and Michael and Virginia Mortara Distinguished Professor of Diplomacy at Georgetown University)

• School of Medicine: Dr. Susan Hingle (Professor of Internal Medicine, Associate Dean for Human and Organizational Potential, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine)

• Georgetown Law: Barbara D. Underwood ’69 (Solicitor General of New York), Emmet G. Sullivan (District Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)

   

 

Gonzaga University: Law & Graduate: May 11, Undergraduate: May 12 
Law: Madelyn F. Wessel (Leader in higher education and university counsel and secretary of the corporation at Cornell University)
Graduate: Judith Mayotte (Humanitarian, author and spokesperson for refugees worldwide)
Undergraduate: Maj. Gen. Joseph Caravalho, Jr., M.D. ’79 (Staff surgeon at the Pentagon and retired military major general)

John Carroll University: Graduate: May 18, Undergraduate: May 19
Graduate: Nancy Benacci ’77 (Managing Director and Co-Director of Equity Research at KeyBanc Capital Markets)
Undergraduate: Joan Crockett ’72 (Former Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Allstate Insurance Company)

Le Moyne College: Graduate: May 17, Undergraduate: May 19
Undergraduate: Rev. Greg Boyle, S.J. (Founder, Homeboy Industries)

Loyola Marymount University: Undergraduate: May 11, Graduate: May 12, Law: May 19
Undergraduate: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Former NBA basketball player, bestselling author and activist), Graduate: Maria Salinas ‘87 (President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce), Law: Justice Joshua Groban (Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California)

Loyola University Chicago*: School of Education and Institute of Environmental Sustainability, The Graduate School and Institute of Pastoral Studies (May 7); Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, School of Social Work (May 8); Quinlan School of Business [Undergraduate & Graduate], School of Communication and School of Continuing and Professional Studies (May 9); College of Arts and Sciences (May 10); School of Law, Stritch School of Medicine (May 11)

• School of Education and Institute of Environmental Sustainability: Brandis Griffith-Friedman (Chicago Tonight Correspondent, Award-winning journalist)

• The Graduate School and Institute of Pastoral Studies: Rev. Michael J. Sheeran, S.J. (President, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities)

• Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing: Gay Landstrom, Ph.D. (Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Trinity Health)

• School of Social Work: Larry E. Davis, Ph.D. (Director, Center on Race and Social Problems, and Donald M. Henderson Chair, University of Pittsburgh)

• Quinlan School of Business (Undergraduate & Graduate): Francesca DeBiase (Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain and Sustainability Officer, McDonald’s Corporation)

• School of Communication & School of Continuing and Professional Studies: Jerome McDonnell (Host, WBEZ’s Worldview)

• College of Arts and Sciences (Morning): Ellen Alberding (President and Board Member, Joyce Foundation)

• College of Arts and Sciences (Afternoon): Terrence Roberts, Ph.D. (Civil Rights Advocate, Author)

• School of Law: Hon. Young B. Kim (U.S. Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Illinois)

• Stritch School of Medicine: John Lawrence, M.D. (President of the U.S. Board of Directors, Doctors without Borders – USA)

   

 

*Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago will host its ceremony on August 10, featuring keynote speaker James Reynolds, Jr. (Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Loop Capital Markets)

Loyola University Maryland: May 18
Rev. William Watters, S.J. (Founder of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore, assisting priest at St. Ignatius Catholic Community)

Loyola University New Orleans: Undergraduate, Graduate & Law: May 11
Undergraduate & Graduate: Gayle Benson (Owner of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans, philanthropist and businesswoman)
Law: John Bel Edwards (Governor of the State of Louisiana)

Marquette University: May 19
David Brooks (New York Times columnist)

Regis University: Graduate: May 4, Undergraduate: May 5
Graduate: Sr. Lydia M. Pena (Educator, author, artist, art historian and community leader)
Undergraduate: Patrick T. Byrne ’00 (Executive Director at Denver Urban Scholars)

Rockhurst University: May 18
Undergraduate: Veronica Clay (English major and published author of Mile Marker 17, a collection of poetry)
Graduate: Elhonei K. Alemu (Graduating with a Master of Occupational Therapy)

   

 

Saint Joseph’s University: May 18
Undergraduate: Anne Welsh McNulty (Investment executive, philanthropist and women’s leadership advocate)
Graduate: Christopher Gheysens ’05 (President and Chief Executive Officer of Wawa, Inc.)

Saint Louis University: May 18
Randall L. Stephenson (Chairman & CEO of AT&T)

Saint Peter’s University: May 20
Yvette Noel-Schure (Veteran Public Relations Expert and Beyoncé’s Publicist)

Santa Clara University: School of Law: May 18, Jesuit School of Theology: May 25, Graduate: June 14, Undergraduate: June 15
School of Law: Dorian Daley ‘86 (Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Oracle Corporation), Jesuit School of Theology: Sr. Carol Keehan, D.C. (President & CEO, Catholic Health Association of the United States), Graduate: Lee Shulman (Professor emeritus at Stanford Graduate School of Education, Past president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching), Undergraduate: Martin Sheen (Acclaimed Actor and Activist)

Seattle University: Undergraduate & Graduate: June 16
Undergraduate: Rev. James Martin, S.J. (Editor of America magazine, Best-selling author)
Graduate: Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J. (Prison ministry and justice advocate)

Spring Hill College: May 4
Mike DeWine (Governor of the State of Ohio)

   

 

University of Detroit Mercy: Law & Dental: May 10, Undergraduate: May 11
Law: Joseph G. Vernon ’05 (Dual JD, Principal and Resident Director, Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone PLC)
Dental: Mark T. Murphy, D.D.S. ‘81 (Lead Faculty Member for Clinical Education at ProSomnus Sleep Technologies; Principal of Funktional Sleep)
Undergraduate: Rip Rapson (President and CEO of the Kresge Foundation)

University of San Francisco: School of Education (May 16); School of Management [Undergraduate & Graduate], School of Law, School of Nursing & Health Professions (May 17); College of Arts & Sciences [Undergraduate & Graduate] (May 18)

• School of Education: Nínive Clements Calegari (Educator & CEO, Enterprise for Youth)

• School of Management [Undergraduate Business Administration]: Ronald R. Rose (Principal, Rose Investments)

• School of Management [Graduate Business Administration]: Fedele R. Bauccio (CEO of Co-Founder of Bon Appetit Management Company)

• School of Law: Dr. Clarence B. Jones (Critical Diversity Studies, Adjunct Profesor, Director, USF Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice)

• School of Nursing & Health Professions: Hon. Nadine Burke Harris (M.D., M.P.H., Surgeon General, State of California)

• College of Arts & Sciences [Undergraduate Humanities and Sciences]: Frances Moore Lappé (Author and Co-founder of Small Planet Institute)

• College of Arts & Sciences [Undergraduate Arts and Social Sciences]: Doniece Sandoval (Founder and CEO, Lava Mae)

• College of Arts & Sciences [Graduate]: Helen Zia (Author and Activist)

   

 

University of Scranton: Graduate: May 25, Undergraduate: May 26
Undergraduate: Kathleen Sprows Cummings, Ph.D. ’93, G ’93 (Director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame). Note: No speaker for the Graduate ceremony.

Wheeling Jesuit University: May 4
Joseph Munhall (Alumni Council President for Wheeling Jesuit University)

Xavier University: Undergraduate & Graduate: May 18
Undergraduate: Rev. James Martin, S.J. (Editor of America magazine, Best-selling author)
Graduate: Sr. Rose Ann Fleming, SND DeN (Special Assistant to Rev. Michael J. Graham, S.J. [President of Xavier University] and academic advisor to Xavier men’s basketball team)