It’s nearly time to celebrate the class of 2025. Bunker down for finals and get to work studying, or plan to fly out and book a stay at one of the region’s many boutique hotels as this year’s graduates toss their caps in celebration. Looking forward to the event? Here are the commencement speakers for some of the region’s biggest schools.
Bryn Mawr College
May 16-17
Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton and Professor Naomi Halas, M.A. ’84 and Ph.D. ’87 will address the graduating classes of 2025 at Bryn Mawr College. McClinton will speak to those receiving undergrad degrees, while Halas will give her speech to graduate students.
McClinton was elected to her current position in 2018, becoming the first woman to serve as such in the nation’s oldest legislature. Halas, meanwhile, is a Bryn Mawr College grad herself. She became the first person to design the optical properties of metal nanoparticles by chemically controlling their structure and is the co-founder of Nanospectra Biosciences.
Eastern University
May 9-10
Eastern University commencement speaker Marvin Rees will take the stage at the Mann Center on May 10 to speak to the class of 2025. An Eastern University grad himself, Rees was mayor of Bristol, UK, from 2016 to 2024 and the first person of Black African heritage elected as mayor of any major European city. All traditional undergrads will walk the stage at the Mann Center at 10:30 a.m., while most grad students will walk in a ceremony beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Rosemont College
May 15
It’s sure to be an emotional ceremony this May, as Rosemont College will begin its merger with Villanova University next year. For what may be the final Rosemont commencement, the school has invited Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker to be the speaker. When Parker took office in January 2024, she became the first woman to hold the position in the 341-year history of the city. The ceremony itself will take place on Connelly Green at 10 a.m. and last two hours.
Swarthmore College
May 25
Baccalaureate students will receive their degrees at Scott Outdoor Amphitheater on campus on May 24 at 3 p.m. The next day, all Swarthmore College undergrads will walk the stage at the Mann Center on May 25 at 11 a.m. following a complimentary breakfast for seniors and another for friends and family. Both ceremonies will have commencement speakers, though they have not yet been announced to the public.
Villanova University
May 16-17
Like Swarthmore, Villanova University has yet to publicly announce its commencement speaker, though the ceremony for undergrads will take place at 2:30 p.m. at Villanova Stadium on May 16. If the weather turns, the three-hour event will be held indoors, and students will be limited to two guests. For master’s and doctoral students, the ceremony will likewise be held at 2:30 p.m. at Villanova Stadium on May 17.
West Chester University
May 9-11
Each West Chester University college graduates separately at its own time and location. Visiting family and friends should check the schedule thoroughly so as not to miss anyone. Most ceremonies will take place at Hollinger Fieldhouse and Emily K. Asplundh Concert Hall, though other specific colleges and campuses may have different locations.
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