2025 Commencement Speakers

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

As we move through May, we begin to turn our attention to commencement. Our colleagues and students in the School of Law will get this season of celebration started with their commencement ceremony this Saturday at McCaw Hall, followed by our undergraduate and graduate ceremonies, which will take place Monday, June 16, at Climate Pledge Arena. As we prepare to honor the class of 2025, I am pleased to announce our speakers. 

Anna Faris will speak at our undergraduate ceremony. A graduate of Edmonds-Woodway High School and the University of Washington, Ms. Faris has been lauded as one of her generation's most talented actresses. She is renowned for her comedic and dramatic performances in such acclaimed productions as the Scary Movie series, Lost in Translation, Brokeback Mountain, Just Friends, Smiley Face, and The House Bunny, as well as the television shows Mom and Friends. She stars in the upcoming Spa Weekend. Ms. Faris’s 2017 memoir, Unqualified, was a New York Times bestseller. In addition to her successful career, Ms. Faris is a dedicated philanthropist, supporting organizations such as the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth, where she has served on the board, and is a major supporter of the Pacific Northwest Research Institute.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell will speak at our graduate ceremony. Elected in 2021, Mayor Harrell’s priorities include, among others, driving innovation, addressing the city’s homelessness crisis, and ensuring public safety for all communities. A guiding principle of his mayorship has been One Seattle—creating a city that embraces differences and celebrates commonality. Born and raised in Seattle, Mayor Harrell is the city's first Asian American and biracial mayor and its second Black mayor. A Garfield High School valedictorian, Mayor Harrell attended the University of Washington on a football scholarship, earning a BA in political science and later a juris doctor from the University of Washington School of Law. He previously served on the Seattle City Council for many years, including multiple terms as president, as well as interim mayor.

We look forward to hearing from and honoring Ms. Faris and Mayor Harrell, two individuals whose lives and work align with Seattle University’s Jesuit educational mission, and I know they will contribute to what promises to be a joyful day for our graduates and their families.

Respectfully,

Eduardo M. Peñalver
President