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List of Fordham University commencement speakers

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The following is a list of keynote speakers at the commencement of Fordham University, 1941–present.[1]

Year Speaker(s) Notes Ref.
1941Bp. J. Francis McIntyre[1]
1942Rev. Robert GannonPresident of Fordham[1]
1943Rev. Robert GannonPresident of Fordham[1]
1944Rev. Robert GannonPresident of Fordham[1]
1945Maj. Gen. Sir Walter Maxwell Scott[1]
1946Gov. Thomas DeweyPresident Truman also received an honorary degree and gave an address, but this was not at June commencement; it was in May.[1]
1947Msgr. Ferdinand VandryDirector of Laval University[1]
1948Rev. Robert GannonPresident of Fordham[1]
1949Rev. Laurence McGinleyPresident of Fordham[1]
1950Rev. Laurence McGinleyPresident of Fordham[1]
1951Rev. Laurence McGinleyPresident of Fordham[1]
1952Msgr. John MiddletonEducation secretary, Archdioscese of New York[1]
1953Rev. Laurence McGinleyPresident of Fordham[1]
1954Robert D. MurphyDeputy under secretary of state[1]
1955Rev. Laurence McGinleyPresident of Fordham[1]
1956Rev. Laurence McGinleyPresident of Fordham[1]
1957Rev. Laurence McGinleyPresident of Fordham[1]
1958Gov. W. Averell HarrimanGovernor of New York[1]
1959Richard Cardinal CushingArchbishop of Boston[1]
1960Dr. Charles H. MalikPresident of United Nations General Assembly[1]
1961Joseph W. McGovernFordham law professor and member of NYS Board of Regents[1]
1962Teodoro MoscosoCoordinator of the Alliance for Progress[1]
1963Sargent ShriverFirst director of the Peace Corps[1]
1964Francis Cardinal SpellmanArchbishop of New York[1]
1965Vice President Hubert H. HumphreyVice President of the United States[1]
1966Rev. Vincent T O'KeefePresident of Fordham[1]
1967Sen. Robert F. KennedyFormer attorney general and United States senator[1]
1968Leo McGlaughlinEulogy and mass for Robert F. Kennedy[1]
1969Sen. Ted KennedyFormer United States senator[1]
1970Sen. Daniel Patrick MoynihanUS Senator from New York[1]
1971James HesterPresident of New York University[1]
1972Kurt WaldheimUnited Nations secretary general and former Wehrmacht spy[1]
1973Dr. Ernest BoyerChancellor of State University of New York[1]
1974Gov. Malcolm WilsonGovernor of New York[1]
1975Hon. William Hughes MulliganJudge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit[1]
1976Gov. Hugh CareyGovernor of New York[1]
1977Thomas A. MurphyChairman of General Motors[1]
1978Alan AldaActor[1]
1979Zbigniew BrzezinskiNational Security advisor[1]
1980Sec. Patricia HarrisUnited States secretary of Health and Human Services[1]
1981Paulo Evaristo Cardinal ArnsArchbishop of São Paulo[1]
1982Seamus HeaneyIrish poet[1]
1983Felix G. RohatynInvestment banker and diplomat[1]
1984Rev. James FinlayFormer president of Fordham[1]
1985Gov. Mario CuomoGovernor of New York[1]
1986Robert HayesFounder of Coalition for the Homeless[1]
1987Sen. Al D'AmatoUS Senator from New York[1]
1988Charles OsgoodRadio and television commentator and writer[1]
1989Timothy Healy, S.J.Former president of Georgetown University[1]
1990William P. Ford, J.D.Lawyer and bond trader[1]
1991Marian Wright EdelmanChildren's rights activist[1]
1992Rep. Dr. John BrademasUS Congressman from Indiana[1]
1993Peter SteinfelsJournalist specializing in religious topics[1]
1994Jonathan KozolWriter best known for his works on American public education[1]
1995Mary RobinsonPresident of Ireland[1]
1996Rev. Joseph O'HareJesuit priest, civic leader, and Fordham president[1]
1997Mary Higgins ClarkAuthor of suspense novels[1]
1998Hon. Joseph McLaughlinJudge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit[1]
1999George Mitchell; David CopperfieldFormer US Senator from Maine; magician[1]
2000Vin ScullySportscaster[1]
2001Bill CosbyComedian and actor[1]
2002Gerald LevinMass-media businessman[1]
2003Ted KoppelBroadcast journalist[1]
2004Tim RussertTelevision journalist and lawyer[1]
2005John Sexton, J.D.Lawyer and former president of New York University[1]
2006Chris MatthewsPolitical commentator, talk show host, and author[1]
2007Willie RandolphMajor League Baseball player[1]
2008Charlie RoseTelevision journalist and talk show host[1]
2009Tom Brokaw, Michael BloombergJournalist and author, New York City mayor[1]
2010Mary McAleesePresident of Ireland[1]
2011Brian WilliamsNBC News journalist[1]
2012John O. BrennanFormer director of the Central Intelligence Agency[1]
2013Richard EngelNBC News chief foreign correspondent[1]
2014Tino MartinezProfessional baseball player[1]
2015Lordina Dramani MahamaFirst Lady of Ghana[1]
2016David J. Skorton, M.D.Physician, academic, and CEO of the Smithsonian Institution[1]
2017Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, Sen. Chuck SchumerSalesian and cardinal of the Catholic Church from Honduras; New York state senator[2]
2018 Dennis Walcott President & CEO of the Queens Library and former New York City schools chancellor [3]
2019 Tim Shriver Disability rights activist and chairman of the Special Olympics [4]
2020 Rev. James J. Martin Jesuit priest and author [5]
2021 Adm. Michelle Howard Former Vice Chief of Naval Operations [6]
2022 Calvin O. Butts American pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church [7]
2023 Stevie Wonder Singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer [8]
2024 Joseph P. Kennedy III United States special envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs [9]
2025 Regina Hall Actress [10]
2026 Hoda Kotb Journalist, author, and co-anchor of Today [11]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 "Fordham Commencement Speakers 1941-present". Fordham University Libraries. LibGuides. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  2. ↑ Verel, Patrick (May 20, 2017). "Class of 2017 Urged to Face Unsettling Times With a Merciful Heart". Fordham News. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  3. ↑ Morris, Tanisia (May 19, 2018). "Class of 2018 Called to Lead Nation toward a 'More Perfect Union'". Fordham News. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  4. ↑ Verel, Patrick (May 18, 2019). "Transform Yourselves and You'll Transform the World, Shriver Tells Class of 2019". Fordham News. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Commencement for the Class of 2020". Fordham University. Retrieved April 16, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ "Commencement for the Class of 2021". Fordham University. May 22, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ Kultys, Kelly (May 21, 2022). "'You Are Tomorrow': Fordham Class of 2022 Invited to Transform, Lead the World". Fordham News. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  8. ↑ Verel, Patrick (May 21, 2023). "Stevie Wonder Performs for Class of 2023, Challenges Grads to 'Be Activists'". Fordham News. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  9. ↑ Gosier, Chris (April 12, 2024). "Fordham's 2024 Commencement Speaker Is Joseph P. Kennedy III". Fordham News. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  10. ↑ Williamson, Alex (March 25, 2025). "Actress Regina Hall to Deliver Commencement Address". Fordham Now. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  11. ↑ Gosier, Chris (April 16, 2026). "Famed Broadcaster, Bestselling Author, and CEO Hoda Kotb to Deliver Commencement Address". Fordham Now. Retrieved April 16, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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List of Fordham University commencement speakers
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