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Look who’s talking — to Northwestern grads

Actors, broadcasters, arts and business leaders highlight the list of school convocation speakers
June 5, 2025 | By Northwestern Now Staff
larissa fasthorse
Playwright and choreographer Larissa FastHorse will address graduates of the School of Education and Social Policy on June 16. Photo courtesy of the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Northwestern’s Class of 2025 is preparing for Graduation Weekend, which includes a full slate of special events, ceremonies and celebrations.

The beloved comedian and actor Steve Carell will address graduates, their families and friends during the University’s 167th annual Commencement at the United Center on Sunday, June 15.

Northwestern Now has rounded up a list of school convocations and keynote speakers for the events taking place over four days from June 13 to 16.

The Graduate School (TGS) will host its annual Ph.D. and M.F.A. hooding ceremony — led by Kelly Mayo, dean and associate provost for graduate education — at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 13, in Ryan Fieldhouse. The ceremony recognizes graduates of programs in partnership with the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the Kellogg School of Management, the School of Communication, the Feinberg School of Medicine and TGS interdisciplinary programs.

Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer and actor Heather Headley ’97 will preside over graduates as convocation speaker for the School of Communication at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Arts and culture leader, advocate and advisor Deborah Rutter will present the Bienen School of Music convocation address at noon on Saturday, June 14, in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall.

Junta Nakai ’04, a global vice president at Databricks, a Silicon Valley-based AI company recently valued at $62 billion, will address graduates from the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. The convocation will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Heather Headley ’97 (School of Communication), Edith Chapin ’86 (Medill) and Curt Menefee ’22 (School of Professional Studies) are three of this year’s convocation speakers. Headley photo by Meagan Shuptar

Veteran studio and sports broadcaster Curt Menefee ’22 — best known for hosting “FOX NFL Sunday,” America’s most-watched NFL pregame show — will deliver the keynote address at the convocation ceremony for the School of Professional Studies at 3:30 p.m., on Saturday, June 14, at Ryan Fieldhouse.

John Schlifske ’83, former chairman and CEO of Northwestern Mutual, will address graduates of the Kellogg School of Management at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 15, at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Edith Chapin ’86, acting chief content officer, senior vice president and editor-in-chief of National Public Radio, will address graduates of the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. The event is at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, June 16, at Ryan Fieldhouse.

Matthew Skaruppa ’04, chief financial officer at Duolingo, will speak at the McCormick School of Engineering undergraduate convocation. And, Ameet Mallik ’94, ’95, CEO of ADC Therapeutics, will speak at the McCormick PhD hooding and master’s degree recognition ceremony. The McCormick ceremonies are on Monday, June 16, at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Trailblazing playwright and choreographer Larissa FastHorse, whose work blends sharp humor with social commentary, will deliver the convocation address for the School of Education and Social Policy. The event is at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, June 16, at Ryan Fieldhouse.

Northwestern’s graduation season began in May with three other convocation ceremonies.

On May 5, Northwestern Qatar celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2025 at its 14th annual ceremony. In a full-circle moment, Her Excellency Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al-Thani, undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour in Qatar and 2015 graduate, returned to the stage as this year’s graduation speaker, a decade after delivering the student address at her own graduation.

More than 600 graduates from 36 places around the world joined together May 16 for the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law convocation ceremony at the Chicago Theatre. Judge Michael Scudder ’98, circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, delivered the keynote address.

The Feinberg School of Medicine honored its MD Class of 2025 on May 19 in a ceremony at Navy Pier. Dr. Robert Grossman, dean of New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, delivered the commencement address.

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