List of Fordham University commencement speakers

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The following is a list of keynote speakers at the commencement of Fordham University.

Commencement Speakers 1941–present [1]

YearSpeaker(s)NotesRef.
1941Bishop J. Francis McIntyre [1]
1942Rev. Robert Gannon [1]
1943Rev. Robert Gannon [1]
1944Rev. Robert Gannon [1]
1945Major General Sir Walter Maxwell Scott [1]
1946Gov. Thomas Dewey President 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 Gannon [1]
1949Rev. Laurence McGinley [1]
1950Rev. Laurence McGinley [1]
1951Rev. Laurence McGinley [1]
1952Msgr. John MiddletonEducation secretary Arch of New York [1]
1953Rev. Laurence McGinley [1]
1954Robert D. MurphyDeputy Under Secretary of State [1]
1955Rev. Laurence McGinley [1]
1956Rev. Laurence McGinley [1]
1957Rev. Laurence McGinley [1]
1958W.A. HarrimanGovernor of New York [1]
1959Cardinal Cushing [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]
1963 Sargent Shriver First Director of the Peace Corps [1]
1964 Francis Cardinal Spellman [1]
1965Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey [1]
1966Rev. Vincent T O'KeefePresident of Fordham [1]
1967Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Former Attorney General and United States Senator [1]
1968Leo McGlaughlinEulogy and mass for Robert F. Kennedy [1]
1969Sen. Ted Kennedy Former United States Senator [1]
1970Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan [1]
1971James HesterPresident of New York University [1]
1972 Kurt Waldheim United Nations Secretary General and former Wehrmacht spy [1]
1973Dr. Ernest BoyerChancellor of State University of New York [1]
1974Governor Malcolm Wilson [1]
1975Judge William Hughes Mulligan [1]
1976Governor Hugh Carey [1]
1977Thomas A. MurphyChairman of General Motors [1]
1978 Alan Alda Actor [1]
1979 Zbigniew Brzezinski National Security Advisor [1]
1980 Patricia Harris United States Secretary of Health and Human Services [1]
1981 Paulo Evaristo Cardinal Arns [1]
1982 Seamus Heaney Irish Poet [1]
1983 Felix G. Rohatyn Investment Banker and Diplomat [1]
1984Rev. James FinlayFormer President of Fordham [1]
1985 Gov. Mario Cuomo Governor of New York [1]
1986 Robert Hayes Founder of Coalition for the Homeless [1]
1987 Alphonse D'Amato New York Senator [1]
1988 Charles Osgood Radio and Television Commentator and Writer [1]
1989 Timothy Healy, S.J. Former President of Georgetown University [1]
1990 William P. Ford Lawyer and Bond Trader [1]
1991 Marian Wright Edelman Children's Rights Activist [1]
1992 Dr. John Brademas Indiana Congressman [1]
1993 Peter Steinfels Journalist specializing in religious topics [1]
1994 Jonathan Kozol Writer best known for his works on American public education [1]
1995 Mary Robinson President of Ireland [1]
1996 Rev. Joseph O'Hare Jesuit Priest, Civic Leader, and Fordham President [1]
1997 Mary Higgins Clark Author of Suspense Novels [1]
1998 Judge Joseph McLaughlin Judge [1]
1999 George Mitchell; David Copperfield Former Maine Senator; Magician [1]
2000 Vin Scully Sportscaster [1]
2001 Bill Cosby Comedian and Actor [1]
2002 Gerald Levin Mass-Media Businessman [1]
2003 Ted Koppel Broadcast Journalist [1]
2004 Tim Russert Television Journalist and Lawyer [1]
2005 John Sexton Lawyer and former President of New York University [1]
2006 Chris Matthews Political Commentator, Talk Show Host, and Author [1]
2007 Willie Randolph Major League Baseball Player [1]
2008 Charlie Rose Television Journalist and Talk Show Host [1]
2009 Tom Brokaw Journalist and Author [1]
2010 Mary McAleese President of Ireland [1]
2011 Brian Williams NBC News Journalist [1]
2012 John O. Brennan Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency [1]
2013 Richard Engel NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent [1]
2014 Tino Martinez Professional Baseball Player [1]
2015 Lordina Dramani Mahama First Lady of Ghana [1]
2016 David J. Skorton, M.D. Physician, academic, and CEO of the Smithsonian Institution [1]
2017 Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga; Sen. Chuck Schumer Salesian and Cardinal of the Catholic Church from Honduras; New York State Senator [2]
2018 Dennis Walcot 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]
2022 Calvin O. Butts American Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church [5]
2023 Stevie Wonder American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer [6]
2024 Joseph P. Kennedy III United States Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs [7]

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References

  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. Kultys, Kelly (May 21, 2022). "'You Are Tomorrow': Fordham Class of 2022 Invited to Transform, Lead the World". Fordham News. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  6. Verel, Patrick (May 21, 2023). "Stevie Wonder Performs for Class of 2023, Challenges Grads to 'Be Activists'". Fordham News. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  7. Gosier, Chris (April 12, 2024). "Fordham's 2024 Commencement Speaker Is Joseph P. Kennedy III". Fordham News. Retrieved April 16, 2024.