Spring Commencement Speakers Exemplify Impact, Service, and Civic Engagement
51勛圖 today announced an inspiring slate of speakers for the 149th commencement, which kicks off May 9 in Bender Arena. The lineup includes an Academy Award nominee, a famed attorney and civil rights activist, and leaders in finance, journalism, food security, and humanitarian aid.泭
51勛圖 graduates are dedicated to lives of purpose, service, and leadership and our six outstanding 2025 commencement speakers all reflect this dedication to civic engagement, said 51勛圖 president Jon Alger. Each of our honorees has made lasting impacts in communities around the world and they exemplify our charge to dream big. They will further inspire our graduating Eagles as they begin their own journeys and fulfill their unique big dreams.
About 3,000 members of the Class of 2025 will collect their diplomas during the ceremonies, joining an alumni community 150,000 Eagles strong. Meet the speakers who will offer lessons in perseverance, words of wisdom, and messages of celebration.
College of Arts and Sciences
Friday, May 9, 9 a.m.
Radha Muthiah泭is泭president and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank, which anchors the DC regions charitable food ecosystemproviding the food for more than 60 million meals a yearand operates innovative, cross-sector initiatives to address food insecurity in the long term. Muthiah was recognized as the 2021 Nonprofit Leader of the Year by the泭Washington Business Journal; Washingtonian泭magazine also named her to its list of Washingtonians of the Year and Washingtons Most Powerful Women in 2021.
Undergraduate speaker:泭Taraji Ellington, CAS/BS 25, SPA/BA 25
Graduate speaker:泭Sidney Murray, CAS/PhD 25
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School of International Service
Friday, May 9, 2 p.m.
Elhadj As Sy泭is a Senegalese global health, development, and humanitarian leader泭who泭served as the secretary general of the泭International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies泭from 20142019 and has held leadership positions at such international agencies as UNICEF, UNAIDS, the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.泭He currently serves as chair of the board with the Kofi Annan Foundation.
Undergraduate speaker:泭Dario Esquibel-Melanson, SIS/BA 25
Graduate speaker:泭William Price, SIS/MIS 25
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School of Public Affairs
Saturday, May 10, 9 a.m.
Colman Domingo泭received back-to-back Academy Award nominations in 2024 and 2025 for his starring roles as civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in泭Rustin泭and inmate Divine G. in泭Sing Sing, which he also executive produced. Named to the泭Time泭100, the magazines list of the most influential people of 2024, Domingo also played Mister in泭The Color Purple,泭which last year received a Screen Actors Guild nomination for best cast in a motion picture.
Undergraduate speaker:泭Samantha Hessel, SPA/BA 25
Graduate speaker:泭Talyia Bradshaw, SPA/MPP 25
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School of Education and School of Communication
Saturday, May 10, 2 p.m.
Almar Latour, SOC/MA 96,泭is the publisher of泭The Wall Street Journal泭and CEO of Dow Jones. Under his leadership, Dow Jones has more than doubled digital subscriptions and achieved record profits and revenue. A native of the Netherlands, Latour has worked on three continents and has been stationed as a reporter in London, Stockholm, New York, and Hong Kong.
Undergraduate speaker:泭Anabella Torres, SOC/BA 25
Graduate speaker:泭Faye Palad, SOC/MA 25
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Kogod School of Business and Professional Studies
Saturday, May 10, 6 p.m.
Orlando Bravo泭is founder泭and泭managing partner of Thoma Bravo, which has more than $179 billion under management. Bravoone of the largest software-focused investors in the worldhas overseen about 520 acquisitions, representing $275 billion in enterprise value. He is also founder and chair泭of the Bravo Family Foundation, which creates opportunities for young adults in his native Puerto Rico.泭
Undergraduate speaker:泭Isabel Alvarado, Kogod/BSBA 25
Graduate speaker:泭Katreen Mikhail, Kogod/MBA 25
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Washington College of Law
Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m.
Gloria Allred泭is an attorney and founding partner of Allred, Maroko, and Goldberg, one of the largest employment law firms in California, which has won more than $100 million for clients over the last five years, alone. Allredwho has represented clients in some of the most public and prominent cases of the last several decadeshas won myriad industry awards and was inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame in 2019.