List of Virginia Tech commencement speakers

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Each year, Virginia Tech holds commencement ceremonies at the end of the academic year in May, as well as at the end of the Fall semester in December. Since 1990, a separate Graduate School Commencement Ceremony has been held to confer degrees to master's and doctoral students. Fall commencement is held in Cassell Coliseum, and Spring Commencement is held in Lane Stadium.

University Commencement Speakers

Academic YearSemesterSpeaker(s)Degrees Conferred
1958 - 59SpringJohn N. Thomas, professor of systematic theology, Union Theological SeminaryAll
1959 - 60Spring Albertis Harrison , 28th Attorney General of Virginia All
1960 - 61Spring John M. Devine , commandant of cadets, Virginia TechAll
1961 - 62Spring Colgate W. Darden , former governor, Commonwealth of VirginiaAll
1962 - 63Spring Mills Godwin , 28th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia All
1963 - 64SpringJ. G. Farrar, president, Rockefeller Foundation All
1964 - 65Spring Albertis Harrison , 59th Governor of VirginiaAll
1965 - 66SpringDr. T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia TechAll
1966 - 67Spring Mills Godwin , 60th Governor of VirginiaAll
1967 - 68SpringDr. T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia TechAll
1968 - 69Spring Warren W. Brandt , president of Virginia Commonwealth University and former executive vice president, Virginia TechAll
1969 - 70SpringDr. T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia TechAll
1970 - 71Spring Linwood Holton , 61st Governor of VirginiaAll
1971 - 72Spring David Brinkley , NBC News correspondentAll
1972 - 73Spring Bill Moyers , former White House Press Secretary to President Lyndon B. Johnson All
1973 - 74SpringG. Burke Johnston, C. P. Miles Professor of English, Virginia TechAll
1974 - 75Spring Sam J. Ervin , former U.S. Senator from North CarolinaAll
1975 - 76Spring E. F. Shannon , former president, University of VirginiaAll
1976 - 77Spring Milton Friedman , recipient of the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences All
1977 - 78Spring John N. Dalton , 63rd Governor of VirginiaAll
1978 - 79Spring Eric Sevareid , correspondent, CBS News All
1979 - 80SpringDr. Jean L. Harris , 2nd Virginia Secretary of Human Resources All
1980 - 81SpringDr. William Edward Lavery , president, Virginia TechAll
1981 - 82Spring Christopher C. Kraft Jr. '44, director, NASA Johnson Space Center All
1982 - 83Spring Clifton C. Garvin Jr. '43, chairman of the board, Exxon All
1983 - 84Spring Chuck Robb , 64th Governor of VirginiaAll
1984 - 85SpringAlexander F. Giacco, rector, Virginia Tech Board of Visitors and chairman of the board, Hercules Inc. All
1985 - 86Spring Neil Armstrong , astronaut, first person to step on the MoonAll
1986 - 87Spring Gerald Baliles , 65th Governor of VirginiaAll
1987 - 88Spring David Roselle , president, University of Kentucky All
1988 - 89Spring Mary Sue Terry , 38th Attorney General of VirginiaAll
1989 - 90Spring Douglas Wilder , 66th Governor of VirginiaUndergraduate
1990 - 91Fall Mark O. Hatfield , U.S. Senator from Oregon Undergraduate
Spring Sheikh Saud Nasir Al-Sabah , Kuwaiti ambassador to the USUndergraduate
1991 - 92Fall W. Ann Reynolds , chancellor, City University of New York Undergraduate
Spring Jack Nelson , Washington Bureau chief, Los Angeles Times Undergraduate
1992 - 93FallSamuel D. Proctor, professor emeritus, Rutgers University and pastor emeritus, Abyssinian Baptist Church of New YorkUndergraduate
SpringDr. John Ashworth , director, London School of Economics and Political Science Undergraduate
1993 - 94FallJohn Kelly, registrar (provost), University College Dublin (Ireland)Undergraduate
Spring George Allen , 67th Governor of VirginiaUndergraduate
1994 - 95FallPaul Antonie "Tony" Distler, Alumni Distinguished Professor and director of the Division of Performing Arts, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Beverly H. Sgro , 8th Virginia Secretary of Education and former dean of students, Virginia TechUndergraduate
1995 - 96FallDr. James I. Robertson Jr. , Alumni Distinguished Professor of history, Virginia TechUndergraduate
SpringJohn Wilson, retired president, Washington and Lee University Undergraduate
1996 - 97Fall Lucinda Roy , Gloria D. Smith Professor of Black Studies, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Raymond J. Lane , president and chief operating officer, Oracle Corporation Undergraduate
1997 - 98FallCharles "Jack" Dudley, director, University Honors Program, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Jim Gilmore , 68th Governor of VirginiaUndergraduate
1998 - 99FallJames R. Craig, professor of geological sciences, Virginia TechUndergraduate
SpringDr. Eric Schmidt , chairman and chief executive officer, Novell Inc.Undergraduate
1999 - 2000FallDr. Paul Torgersen , president and John W. Hancock Jr. Chair of Engineering, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring John Warner , U.S. Senator from VirginiaUndergraduate
2000 - 01FallArthur L. Buikema Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Rick Boucher , U.S. Representative, Virginia's 9th congressional district Undergraduate
2001 - 02FallDr. Charles J. Dudley, professor of sociology and director of the University Honors Program, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Mark Warner , 69th Governor of VirginiaUndergraduate
2002 - 03FallDr. L.A. "Andy" Swiger, dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Leroy R. Hassell Sr. , chief justice, Supreme Court of Virginia Undergraduate
2003 - 04FallDr. Ezra A. "Bud" Brown, professor of mathematics, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Pierre Thomas '84, justice correspondent, ABC News Undergraduate
2004 - 05FallDr. Diane Zahm, associate professor of urban affairs and planning in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Dave Calhoun '79, president and chief executive officer, GE Transportation Undergraduate
2005 - 06FallMinnis E. Ridenour, former executive vice president and chief operating officer at Virginia Tech and Senior Fellow and director of the Office of Government and Non-Profit Organization Management, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Tim Kaine , 70th Governor of VirginiaUndergraduate
2006 - 07FallHenry J. Dekker '47, former president of North American operations, Louis Féraud, past member of the Virginia Tech Board of VisitorsUndergraduate
SpringGen. John Abizaid , U.S. Army (ret.), former Commander of the United States Central Command Undergraduate
2007 - 08Fall E. Scott Geller , Alumni Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Applied Behavior Systems in the Department of Psychology in the College of ScienceUndergraduate
Spring Hoda Kotb '86, Dateline NBC correspondent, co-anchor of NBC's Today show
2008 - 09FallDr. Gary Downey, Alumni Distinguished Professor of science and technology studiesUndergraduate
SpringGen. Lance L. Smith '69, U.S. Air Force (ret.), former NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation [1] Undergraduate
2009 - 10FallDr. Rosemary Blieszner, Alumni Distinguished Professor of human development/associate dean, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Bob McDonnell , 71st Governor of Virginia [2] Undergraduate
2010 - 11FallDr. Jacqueline Bixler, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Spanish, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Kenneth Feinberg , administrator of the 9/11 Victims Fund [3] Undergraduate
2011 - 12FallDr. Edward F. D. Spencer, former vice president for student affairs, Virginia TechUndergraduate
Spring Michelle Obama , First Lady of the United States, and Mark Warner , U.S. Senator from VirginiaUndergraduate
2012 - 13FallDr. Annie Hesp, professor of Spanish, Virginia Tech [4] Undergraduate
SpringDr. Charles Steger '69, president, Virginia TechUndergraduate
2013 - 14FallDr. Gerhardt Schurig, professor of biomedical sciences/dean, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine [5] Undergraduate
Spring Terry McAuliffe , 72nd Governor of VirginiaUndergraduate
2014 - 15FallDr. Thomas M. Gardner, Alumni Distinguished Professor of English, Virginia Tech [6] Undergraduate
SpringDr. Eric Schmidt , executive chairman, Google Undergraduate
2015 - 16FallTom Tillar '69, vice president for alumni relations, Virginia Tech [7] Undergraduate
SpringDr. Marc Edwards and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha , lead researchers in the Flint, Michigan water crisis Undergraduate
2016 - 17FallBen Davenport Jr. '64, chairman of Davenport Energy, former member/rector of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors [8] Undergraduate
Spring Sheryl Sandberg , chief operating officer, Facebook [9] Undergraduate
2017 - 18FallDr. Art Keown, Alumni Distinguished Professor and the R. B. Pamplin Professor of Finance, Virginia Tech [10] Undergraduate
Spring Ralph Northam , 73rd Governor of Virginia [11] Undergraduate
2018 - 19FallJosiah Showalter Jr. '84, chief judge, Virginia's 27th judicial circuit [12] Undergraduate
FallDr. William Hopkins, professor of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia TechGraduate
Spring Frank Beamer '69, former head coach, Virginia Tech Hokies football [13] Undergraduate
Spring Melody Barnes , co-director, U.Va. Democracy Initiative and former director, U.S. Domestic Policy Council Graduate
2019 - 20FallDr. John Seiler '84, the Hon. and Mrs. Shelton H. Short Jr. Professor of Forestry, Virginia Tech [14] Undergraduate
FallPatricia Raun, director of the Center for Communicating Science and professor of Theatre Arts, Virginia TechGraduate
Spring Camille Schrier '18, Miss America 2020, Bud Foster , former defensive coordinator, Virginia Tech Hokies football, and Nikki Giovanni , University Distinguished Professor of English, Virginia TechAll
2020 - 21FallDr. Linsey Marr , Charles P. Lunsford Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech [15] All
SpringDr. Francis Collins , Director of the National Institutes of Health [16] All
2021 - 22FallDan Maguire '94, entrepreneur [17] Undergraduate
Spring Glenn Youngkin , 74th Governor of Virginia [18] All
2023-2024Fall
SpringMehul Sanghani, Chief Executive Officer of Octo ConsultingAll

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References

  1. "Virginia Tech names retired Air Force general as commencement speaker". April 2, 2009.
  2. "Va. Tech graduates urged to 'work hard, dream big'". Roanoke Times.
  3. "2011 Commencement Speaker". Virginia Tech News Service.
  4. "Annie Hesp, Kirk and Noel Schulz to address graduates at 2012 Fall Commencement ceremonies". www.vtnews.vt.edu. November 26, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  5. "Previous speakers".
  6. "Dennis R. Dean, Thomas M. Gardner to deliver 2014 fall commencement addresses". www.vtnews.vt.edu. December 1, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  7. "Karen Roberto, Tom Tillar to deliver 2015 fall commencement addresses". www.vtnews.vt.edu. November 23, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  8. "Ben Davenport Jr., Andy Morikawa to deliver 2016 fall commencement addresses". www.vtnews.vt.edu. November 30, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  9. "Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg to deliver 2017 Virginia Tech University Commencement address". www.vtnews.vt.edu. March 2, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  10. "Fall commencement scheduled for Dec. 21". www.vtnews.vt.edu. November 22, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  11. "Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to deliver 2018 University Commencement address". www.vtnews.vt.edu. February 23, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  12. "Fall commencement scheduled for Dec. 14". www.vtnews.vt.edu. November 21, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  13. "Speakers announced for May commencement ceremonies". www.vtnews.vt.edu. March 29, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  14. "Virginia Tech faculty chosen to deliver commencement keynote speeches". www.vtnews.vt.edu. December 1, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  15. "Linsey Marr selected as the speaker for Virginia Tech's fall commencement exercises". www.vtx.vt.edu. December 4, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  16. "National Institutes of Health Director Francis S. Collins is the keynote speaker for virtual university commencement". www.vtx.vt.edu. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  17. "Alumnus and entrepreneur to deliver 2021 fall commencement address". www.vtx.vt.edu. December 5, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  18. "Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to deliver 2022 University Commencement address". www.vtx.vt.edu. March 29, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.