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Graduate profiles, videos, programs, and speakers from previous ceremonies

View the 2025 Spring Commencement Ceremony program

Ceremony Videos

Spring 2023 WSU Global

Fall 2022 WSU Pullman

Spring 2021 WSU

Spring 2020 WSU

Ceremony Programs

Linked files are in pdf format.


Ceremony Speakers

The following leaders and role models have addressed WSU graduates at Commencement.

Spring 2025

Jamie Kern Lima
Co-founder of IT Cosmetics, WSU alumna

Spring 2016

Phyllis J. Campbell
Chairman, Pacific Northwest for JP Morgan Chase & Co. 

Fall 2015

Max Baer
Former Butch T. Cougar, member of the Class of 2015, and avid martial artist

Spring 2015

Geoffrey Gamble
President emeritus and professor emeritus, Montana State University

Brad Tilden
Chief executive officer, Alaska Air Group and its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air

Mimi Healy
President and CEO, Lasergen Inc.

Fall 2014

Jordan Schnitzer
President, Harsch Investment Properties, and philanthropist

Spring 2014

Orlin Reinbold
Owner, Landmark Turf and Native Seed 

Elson S. Floyd
WSU president

Katey Koehn
Director of program management, Yahoo

Fall 2013

Elson S. Floyd
WSU president

Spring 2013

David Ensor
Director, Voice of America

Roger Myers
Executive director, electric propulsion and integrated systems, Aerojet

Sam Sumner Reed
Former secretary of state, Washington State

Fall 2012

Kimberlee Kidwell
Associate dean, College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, and spring wheat breeder 

Spring 2012

Governor Chris Gregoire

Fall 2011

Brigadier General Julie Bentz, Ph.D.

Spring 2011

Jim Cook
Dean and professor emeritus, Washington State University

Robert M. Gates
Secretary of Defense

Admiral John S. Redd
Vice admiral of the U.S. Navy and the first Senate-confirmed director of the National Counterterrorism Center

Fall 2010

Brad Smith
Microsoft General Counsel and leader of the company’s Department of Legal and Corporate Affairs 

Spring 2010

Craig Juntunen 
Entrepreneur, philanthropist and football player

Mickey S. Urdea
Co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer, Tethys Bioscience

Lisa Cohen
Executive director, Washington Global Health Alliance

Fall 2009

William Julius Wilson
Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor at Harvard University

Spring 2009

Bob Watt
Vice chair and chair-elect of the Seattle Foundation board, chair of the White Center Making Connections Partners Group, and vice chair of Thrive by Five

Theodor P. Baseler
President and chief executive officer, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

Gary Steele
Chief executive officer, Proofpoint Inc.