New Jersey’s annual commencement season, noteworthy for drawing a wide range of celebrity speakers and academic stars offering guidance for new graduates, gets underway this weekend.
Commencements at the state’s four-year colleges and universities will be held throughout month, starting with Rowan and Centenary universities on Saturday and ending with a May 28 ceremony at New Jersey City University.
This year’s celebrity speakers include: “Dawson’s Creek” actor James Van Der Beek; YouTube star Marques Brownlee; astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson; and musician Tariq Trotter, the artist better known as Black Thought who co-founded the group The Roots. (See the full list of commencement speakers below.)
Multiple former U.S presidents — including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson — have spoken at commencements in New Jersey over the years.
Stevie Wonder performed several songs, including “I Just Called To Say I Love You,” after receiving an honorary degree at Rutger University in 1999. Actor Bruce Willis and baseball legend Yogi Berra both spoke at Montclair State University’s commencement in 1996.
Below are speakers announced as of Thursday for commencement ceremonies scheduled at the state’s four-year colleges and universities. Some schools have not announced a speaker yet or may not have a guest commencement speaker this year.
Bloomfield College
Speakers: None announced
Date: Saturday, May 18, at 12:30 p.m.
Location: College Quadrangle
Caldwell University
Speakers: None announced
Dates: Saturday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. for graduate students; Sunday, May, 19, at 10 a.m. for undergraduates
Location: George R. Newman Center
Centenary University
Speaker: Rod E. Hairston, author of “Are You Up For the Challenge? 6 Steps to Lasting Change Starting Now”
Date: Saturday, May 4 at 9 a.m. for Bachelor of Science & Associate of Science Degree ceremony; and 1 p.m. for Bachelor of Arts, Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts & Bachelor of Social Work Degree ceremony
Location: Anderson Field
Drew University
Speakers: James Van Der Beek, who starred in TV’s “Dawson’s Creek,” is the speaker at the undergraduate College of Liberal Arts commencement. Harriett Jane Olson, former general secretary and CEO of United Women in Faith and a social justice activist, is speaking at the Drew Theological School ceremony. Laura Winters, a Drew professor of literary studies, writing, and studies in religion in the Arts & Letters program, is speaking at the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies ceremony.
Dates: Friday, May 10, at 10 a.m. for the Drew Theological School; Friday, May 10, at 3 p.m. for the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies; Saturday, May 11, at 10 a.m. for undergraduates
Location: Outdoors on the Drew campus on the Mead Hall Lawn
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Speaker: Stephen K. Klasko, formerly the president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health
Date: Wednesday, May 15, at 9:30 a.m.
Location: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford
Felician University
Speakers: None announced
Date: Thursday, May 23, at 9:30 a.m.
Location: The Rink at American Dream in East Rutherford
Georgian Court University
Speakers: Rodrigo A. Colón, Jr., author of “Win The Race for 21st Century Jobs” and CEO of Rod Colón Consulting, will address undergraduates. John Harmon, founder, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, is the graduate commencement speaker.
Date: Thursday, May 9, at 12:30 p.m. for undergraduates and at 5 p.m. for graduates
Location: Athletic fields outside the Wellness Center
Kean University
Speakers: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City and a frequent presence on PBS Nova, Discovery and other programs, is the undergraduate commencement speaker. CNN anchor Abby Phillip, host of “NewsNight with Abby Phillip,” is the graduate commencement speaker.
Date: Tuesday, May 14, for graduate students and Thursday, May 16, for undergraduates
Locations: New Jersey Performing Arts Centerin Newark for graduates students; Prudential Center in Newark for undergraduates
Monmouth University
Speakers: None announced
Date: Thursday, May 9, at 10 a.m. for the Leon Hess Business School; 1 p.m. for the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences; 4 p.m. for the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies, School of Social Work, School of Education, and School of Science
Location: OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch
Montclair State University
Speakers: None announced
Date: Monday, May 13, at 9:30 a.m. for the College for Community Health, College for Education and Engaged Learning, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and University College; 3:30 p.m. for the College of the Arts, College of Science and Mathematics, Feliciano School of Business, and School of Nursing
Location: Prudential Center in Newark
New Jersey City University
Speaker: Bettina L. Love, a Columbia University professor and author of “Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal”
Date: Wednesday, May 15 at 10 a.m. for the School of Business and College of Professional Studies; 2 p.m. for the William J. Maxwell College of Arts & Sciences and CAS/Education dual-degree recipients and Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe College of Education
Location: Red Bull Arena in Harrison
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Speakers: Marjorie A. Perry, president and CEO of MZM Construction Co. in Newark, is the undergraduate commencement speaker. Santo Politi, founder and managing partner at Spark Capital, is addressing master’s degree recipients from the Newark College of Engineering, J. Robert and Barbara A. Hillier College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts and Martin Tuchman School of Management. Samir Saini, a civil engineering graduate of NJIT, is speaking at the master’s degree ceremony for Ying Wu College of Computing. Carolyn Merkel, a Martin Tuchman School of Management graduate in technology management, is delivering the keynote address at the doctorate commencement.
Dates: Friday, May 17, at 9 a.m. for undergraduates; Wednesday, May 15, at 9 a.m. for master’s degree students for the Newark College of Engineering, J. Robert and Barbara A. Hillier College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts and Martin Tuchman School of Management; Wednesday, May 15, at 1:30 p.m. for the master’s degree ceremony for Ying Wu College of Computing; Wednesday, May 15, at 5 p.m. for the doctorate commencement ceremony.
Locations: NJIT Wellness and Event Center in Newark for graduate students and Prudential Center ( for undergraduates
Pillar College
Speakers: Dale Caldwell, president of Centenary University
Date: Friday, May 17, at 2 p.m.
Location: Zarephath Christian Church in Franklin Township
Princeton University
Speakers: Sam Waterston, the actor best known for his role as district attorney on “Law & Order,” will speak at the university’s Class Day celebration the day before commencement; Princeton traditionally does not announce its honorary degree recipients before the commencement ceremony begins.
Dates: Class Day ceremony for seniors is Monday, May 27, at 10:30 a.m.; Commencement is Tuesday, May 28, at 9:30 a.m. for all graduates
Locations: Class Day is at Cannon Green on campus; Commencement is at Weaver Stadium in Princeton
Ramapo College
Speakers: None announced
Date: Wednesday, May 29, at 8:40 a.m.
Location: Prudential Center in Newark
Rider University
Speakers: Samantha Haines, a member of the Class of 2023, is the undergraduate speaker. She is a software engineer at Lockheed Martin. Arcia Stokes will deliver the student speech at the graduate Commencement ceremony. She previously received a bachelor of arts in music and a master of vocal performance and vocal pedagogy at Rider, and is appearing with her classmates as a doctor in education.
Date: Saturday, May 11, at 9:30 a.m. for graduate students and 2:30 p.m. for undergraduates
Location: Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton
Rowan University
Speaker: Ric Edelman, a prominent author/ investor and 1980 graduate of Rowan when it was still known as Glassboro State College
Date: Saturday, May 4, at 10 a.m.
Location: Richard Wackar Stadium in Glassboro
Rutgers University \- New Brunswick and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Speaker: Freeman A. Hrabowski III, who marched for civil rights as a child in the early 1960s and is a former president of the University of Maryland
Date: Sunday, May 12, at 10 a.m.
Location: SHI Stadium in Piscataway
Rutgers-Newark
Speakers: Tariq Trotter, the musician known as Black Thought and co-founder of The Roots
Date: Wednesday, May 15, at 9 a.m.
Location: Prudential Center in Newark
Rutgers-Camden
Speaker: New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges is theRutgers-Camden and graduate school commencement speaker. Wawa president Brian Schaller is delivering the keynote address at the School of Business-Camden ceremony. Loretta Sweet Jemmott, vice president of health and health equity at Drexel University, is speaking at the School of Nursing-Camden ceremony. Associate Justice Fabiana Pierre-Louis of the New Jersey Supreme Court is speaking to Camden graduates of Rutgers Law School.
Date: Tuesday, May 14, at 4 p.m. for Rutgers-Camden and graduate school commencement; Wednesday, May 15, at 10:30 a.m. for School of Business-Camden; 1:30 p.m. for School of Nursing-Camden; Thursday, May 16, at 10 a.m. for Camden College of Arts & Sciences and University College-Camden; and 2:30 p.m. for Camden graduates of Rutgers Law School
Location: Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden
Saint Elizabeth University
Speaker: Margaret Roman, a 1972 graduate who served as director of the school’s honors program for 26 years
Date: Friday, May 17, at 10 a.m.
Location: Front lawn of the university’s campus
Saint Peter’s University
Speaker: Eugene J. Cornacchia, president of Saint Peter’s University, who is retiring at the end of June
Date: Friday, May 17, at 10:30 a.m.
Location: PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel
Seton Hall University
Speakers: Gary Cohen, broadcaster for New York Mets and Seton Hall basketball games
Date: Tuesday, May 21, at 9 a.m.
Location: Prudential Center
Stevens Institute of Technology
Speakers:Marques Brownlee, better known as MKBHD, a celebrated YouTuber with nearly 19 million subscribers, will address undergraduates. Michael Kakos — a scientist, entrepreneur and global business leader — will address graduate students.
Date: Wednesday, May 22, at 9 a.m. for undergraduates and at 4 p.m. for graduates.
Location: PNC Arts Center in Holmdel
Stockton University
Speaker: Dave Sholler, a 2006 Stockton University graduate and chief communications officer for the Philadelphia 76ers and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, is the undergraduate commencement speaker.
Dates: Friday, May 10, is the undergraduate commencement. 9:30 a.m. for the School of Education, William T. Daly School of General Studies, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and the School of Social & Behavioral Sciences. 2:30 p.m. for the School of Arts and Humanities, School of Business, and School of Health Sciences. Tuesday, May 7, at 2 p.m., is the graduate commencement, for doctoral and master’s recipients.
Location: Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City (undegraduates). Stockton University Sports Center (graduates).
The College of New Jersey
Speakers: None announced
Date: Thursday, May 16, at 8:30 a.m.
Location: Lions Stadium in Ewing
William Paterson University
Speaker: State Sen. Nellie Pou, chair of the state Legislative Latino Caucus, will address the undergraduate commencement.
Dates: Wednesday, May 22, at 9 a.m., is the undergraduate commencement. Monday, May 20, is the graduate commencement, starting at 12 p.m. for the College of Education and College of Science and Health, and at 6 p.m. for the Cotaskos College of Business and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Location: Prudential Center in Newark (undergraduates). William Paterson University’s Sports and Recreation Center (graduates).
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Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.
