More local colleges are asking students to address graduates at commencement as others tap a mix of alums and celebs

Neumann University in Aston for the first time decided to have students audition to become this year’s commencement speaker.

Student Government Association president Alyssa Papasodero, an elementary and special education major from Massapequa Park, N.Y, won the honor.

“College has shaped me in so many ways, both academically and personally, and I felt called to share a message that captures not just my own journey, but the resilience, growth, and memories we all share,” Papasodero said. “I want to remind everyone that success isn’t just about achievements, but about perseverance, relationships, and the moments that challenged us to grow.”

Neumann held the auditions because it wanted to get more student voices involved in the May 17 ceremony, university spokesperson Steve Bell said. Seven students vied for the role, and while Papasodero will address undergraduates, the second- and third-place winners will address the graduate ceremony and the academic awards convocation, he said.

Neumann is one of five local colleges with student speakers for commencement this year, up from three last year. Delaware Valley University, St. Joseph’s University, Penn State Brandywine, and West Chester University all will feature student speakers, too.

» READ MORE: Who’s speaking at area college commencements? More schools are going in-house.

Other colleges have tapped entertainers, politicians, business leaders, educators, athletes, artists and journalists. Actor Colman Domingo will deliver two addresses, one at Temple University and the other at Swarthmore College.

Among other notables are the first woman to lead the New York Stock Exchange, who will appear at Lehigh University, and the 2025 National Teacher of the Year, who will speak at Penn State University Park’s College of Education commencement.

» READ MORE: Colman Domingo will deliver Temple University’s commencement speech next May

The most popular days for commencement this spring are May 16 and May 17 when seven area colleges are scheduled to hold ceremonies each day.

Here’s a look at the full lineup for undergraduate commencements at four-year colleges in our region.

Lincoln University: Steve Perry, founder of Capital Preparatory Schools, a network of public charter schools in Connecticut and New York

Temple University: Actor Colman Domingo

West Chester University: Student speakers will address graduates at commencement ceremonies from May 8 to May 10. They are: Dani Troia, Rachel Liney, Sydney Culhane, Gavin Reeves, Madelynn Hildick, Elizabeth Schmidt, Madelyn Oehme, Amaya Lewis, Anna DeSino, Gianna Parrish, Adriana Grecco, Gianna Parrish, Augustina Onubogu, Queen Hadi

Eastern University: Online ceremony for nontraditional undergraduates will be May 8 and the ceremony for traditional undergraduates May 9. The speaker will be Steve E. Clemens, partner at Goodwin Procter LLP law firm and chair of the board of trustees.

Penn State Abington: Jamila Winder, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and a Penn State alum

Penn State University Park: Undergraduate ceremonies will be held from May 8 to May 10. Speakers include: Fernanda Lastra, Penn State alumna and orchestral leader; Jim Ingram, president and chief operating officer, Barlett Tree Experts; Mark Lima, Penn State alum, journalist and vice president and Washington bureau chief for CBS News; Lee Kump, the dean of the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences; Mario Ciabarra, Penn State alumnus and CEO/founder of Quantum Metric; alumna Ashlie Crosson, 2025 National Teacher of the Year, who is an English and journalism teacher at Mifflin County High School in Lewistown; Eileen Supko; president of Energy Resources International; Robert E. Hillman, co-director and research director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital; Esther Wojcicki, teacher and chief executive officer of Global Moonshots in Education; Richard B. “Dick” Lippin, a Penn State alum and founder, chairman and CEO of the Lippin Group; Raymonde A. Brown, associate dean for undergraduate education in College of Nursing; Stuart Rothstein, Penn State alumnus, partner at Apollo Global Management

Cheyney University: Lamar Campbell, a Chester native and director of personnel development for the Seattle Seahawks

Franklin and Marshall College: Former National Football League cornerback Troy Vincent. A five-time Pro Bowler, Vincent played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders and currently serves as executive vice president of football operations at the NFL.

La Salle University: David McShane, a muralist and senior mural production advisor of Mural Arts Philadelphia who is an alumnus

Penn State Brandywine: Three student speakers will address graduates: Catherine Adewumi, Ava Clements, Shiline Varpilah

Rowan University: Virginia “Ginny” Rowan Smith, chairman of Inductotherm Group Worldwide and a longtime university trustee. Her company leads 40 companies that work in thermal processing systems for the metals and materials industry.

St. Joseph’s University: Ceremonies will run May 11 to May 14. Student speakers will address graduates.

Thomas Jefferson University: Elizabeth “Lisa” Hughes, the first woman publisher and CEO of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Widener University: President Stacey Robertson will speak at undergraduate ceremonies that run between May 12 and May 14.

Manor College: J. Mark Baiada, who founded BAYADA Home healthcare in 1975, and his wife, Ann Claffey Baiada, who founded BAYADAbility Rehab Solutions in 1998

Rosemont College: Pennsylvania Sen. Kim Ward, (R-Westmoreland) the first woman to lead the Senate

Arcadia University: Artist Kathleen Titus Faul, an alumna

Stockton University: Roxanne Passarella, an alumna and president and CEO, Business Administration and Operations at Club Boardwalk Resorts, which includes two hotel resorts in Atlantic City and one in Brigantine

Bryn Mawr College: Civil rights activist Ruby Bridges and author Annette Gordon-Reed, a Harvard Law professor and the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize for History. Both women were the first Black students to enroll in the all-white schools in their hometowns.

Chestnut Hill College: State Sen. Art Haywood, a Democrat representing parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties

Delaware Valley University: There will be four student speakers. Their names were not yet available.

Gwynedd-Mercy: Donna Gentile O’Donnell, an alumna who currently serves as senior adviser to Osagie Imasogie, cofounder and senior managing partner of PIPE Capital, a suburban Philadelphia private equity firm

Haverford College: Playwright Ken Ludwig, a 1972 alumnus, and atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe

Holy Family University: Sister Ilia Delio, OSF, a Franciscan Sister of Washington, D.C. and a professor of theology at Villanova University

Moore College of Art & Design: Sheena C. Howard, author, filmmaker and professor of education at Rider University who is the first Black woman to an Eisner Award for her groundbreaking book Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation; and Cecelia Fitzgibbon, Moore College President Emerita, who led the school from 2012 to 2022

Bucknell University: Ken Freeman, an alumnus, formerly CEO of Quest Diagnostics and former interim president of Boston University where he previously served as business school dean

Dickinson College: Associate professor of English Sarah Kersh, the most recent recipient of the school’s award for inspirational teaching

Immaculata University: Bridget Shaheen, former executive director of Lazarus House Ministries, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit helping people experiencing homelessness and poverty

Lehigh University: 1996 alumna Stacey Cunningham, a banker who became the first woman to lead the New York Stock Exchange from 2018 to 2022

Muhlenberg College: Rajiv Vinnakota, president of the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, which aims to empower young people to develop “civic solutions” to the country’s issues

Neumann University: Alyssa Papasodero, a graduating senior from Massapequa Park, NY. She is an elementary and special education major and president of the student government association.

Rutgers University-New Brunswick: Christopher Markus, an alumnus and an Emmy Award-winning screenwriter who co-wrote six films in Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame

University of Pennsylvania: Historian and best-selling author Michael Beschloss, who has written books on presidents, including most recently Presidents of War: The Epic Story, from 1807 to Modern Times. He’s also NBC News presidential historian and a PBS contributor.

Rutgers-Camden: Rutgers-Camden Chancellor Antonio D. Tillis

Villanova University: NBC’s TODAY co-anchor Craig Melvin

Ursinus College: Journalist Tracy Davidson, a 15-time Emmy Award winner

Lafayette College: Arthur C. Brooks, a Harvard Business School professor, author, and expert on the pursuit of happiness. He wrote Build the Life You Want (2023), co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, and From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second half Life.

University of Delaware: Mariah Calagione, co-founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Swarthmore College: Actor Colman Domingo; American University president Jonathan Alger, an alumnus; Judith Sandalow, an alumna and longtime CEO of Children’s Law Center; and environmental educator Talia Young, an alumna and founder of Fishadelphia, which connects New Jersey fisheries with Philly customers

Princeton University: Princeton president Christopher Eisgruber

Drexel University: Moogega Cooper, planetary protection lead for the Mars rover Perseverance. She got her master’s and doctoral degrees at Drexel and is a supervisor at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.