Fordham University marked its 180th commencement on Saturday, May 17, celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2025 under both stormy and clear skies, complete with summery hot temperatures.
The ceremony took place at the Rose Hill campus. Commencement festivities started at 10 a.m. at Edwards Parade with the procession of graduates, bachelors, masters and doctoral students across all Fordham schools. According to Fordham Magazine, the university is expected to confer around 5,805 academic degrees in the 2025 academic year. The 2025 graduates come from 62 different countries, and their ages range from 20 to 82. The degrees were officially conferred by University President Tania Tetlow.
This year’s commencement speaker, Regina Hall, made her return to Fordham after graduating in 1992. She addressed the class of 2025 and received an honorary doctorate of fine arts.
In her address, Hall emphasized success as more than just a fiscal achievement, but rather, a measure of the impact you have on the world.
“Success is not merely measured by money or things, those things must be accompanied by the kindness and compassion in your heart,” Hall said.
“Within the walls of Fordham University, we were always being instilled with the Jesuit principles and philosophies. The belief that God is present in every aspect of life, in nature, in relationships and in work. And the belief in justice, equality and the call for excellence,” Regina Hall, FCRH ’92
Hall, who graduated from Fordham with a degree in English, reflected on her time at the university and the Jesuit principles that have guided her career.
“Within the walls of Fordham University, we were always being instilled with the Jesuit principles and philosophies. The belief that God is present in every aspect of life, in nature, in relationships and in work. And the belief in justice, equality and the call for excellence,” Hall said.
Michael Zampelli, S.J., professor of theatre history and director of the Master of Arts in Philosophy and Society program, read out the invocation. The invocation is a prayer that asks for blessings and guidance upon the graduates. Zampelli made a homage to being a professor of theatre in his speech, relating it to society.
“Be the living actors in the theater of our world,” Zampelli said.
Notably absent from this year’s Fordham University Commencement was U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, a familiar presence at New York graduations. Schumer has a longstanding tradition of attending commencements across the state, often delivering his signature “loser” story to inspire graduates. The story shares insights into Schumer’s university days where he was dumped by his girlfriend, lost his scholarship for school and gave up the experience to travel around the world with that scholarship.
Over the past decade, he has made appearances at various institutions, including Fordham Law School where he was a special guest at the 2023 diploma ceremony, encouraging graduates to embrace the challenges ahead.
Following the commencement, the graduates of each college made their way to the respective locations designated for the diploma ceremonies. For Lincoln Center graduates, the diploma ceremony took place on the Walsh Family Library Lawn.
The weather on commencement day was warm, with temperatures reaching up to the mid 80s. The sunny and humid conditions prompted many attendees to seek shade and hydration throughout the day. Hydration stations were located throughout the procession area for the graduates.
The rain started during the commencement ceremony; the skies turned dark and a little drizzle came down. Members of the crowd opened their umbrellas, but only a few minutes later closed them as the rain had stopped. The umbrellas came in handy for relief, as the seats for the Lincoln Center ceremony were all exposed to the sun. Many people had to move into the shade mid ceremony due to the extreme heat.
As graduates at the Lincoln Center ceremony received their diplomas, many promptly exited the stage to greet their families and friends in the pathways just outside the Walsh Library Lawn. This pattern led to a gradual thinning of the audience as the ceremony progressed, leaving the last part of the event with a smaller crowd.
Despite some of the swift departures, the day remained a significant milestone for the graduates and their loved ones.
Information regarding the class of 2025 commencement, including a livestream of the main commencement ceremony, can be found here. Livestreams of the school-specific diploma ceremonies can be found here.