UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES - GUIDE TO MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS

For more information please contact the University Archivist.

See the University website for Honorary Degree recipients from 1996 to present.

See this Wiki "MU Scoop Wiki" for a list of Commencement Speakers, some with links to speech transcripts.  

Below is a working, incomplete list of Marquette University Commencement Speakers.  We will be adding speakers to the list.  

Year Speaker  About
2022 Dwyane T. Wade, Jr.  (Undergraduate Commencement Address) Three-time NBA champion who led Marquette to the Final Four in 2003, Businessman, Philanthropist. 
2022 Thelma A. Sias (Graduate School and Graduate School of Management Commencement Address) Founder and President of the Sias Group, Former vice president for local affairs at We Energies. 
2021 John Ridley Director, Oscar-winning screenwriter, and novelist
2020 No Commencement due to COVID-19.  
2019 David Brooks New York Times best-selling author and political commentator
2018 Jeannie Gaffigan and Jim Gaffigan  Comedians, actors, writers and producers; Jeannie is an alumna
2017 Sister Maria Marciano, O.P.  Dominican sister from Brazil who serves Haiti's poorest citizens
2016 Dr. Judith Mayotte  Teacher, author, television producer and humanitarian
2015 Sister Margaret "Peggy" O'Neill, S.C.  Founder of El Centro Arte Para la Paz in El Salvador
2014 Rev. James Martin, S.J.  Jesuit priest, writer and Culture Editor of the Jesuit magazine America
2013 Bill Cosby (Marquette revoked Cosby's honorary degree in 2015)  Actor/Comedian
2012 Henry L. Aaron  Baseball Legend
2011 David McCullough  Pulitzer Prize Winning Author
2010 Wendy Kopp  Founder- Teach for America
2009 Dick Enberg  Sports Broadcaster & Author of McGuire
2008 Andrew Natsios  Special Envoy for Darfur
2007 Steve Rushin Sports Journalist
2006 Elaine Chao U.S. Secretary of Labor
2005 Cokie Roberts Broadcast Journalist
2004 Wayne Sanders Businessman
2003 Timothy M. Dolan Archbishop
2002 Dr. Stephen Covey Author
2001 Fred "Mister" Rogers Beloved TV personality
2000 R.W. Apple, Jr. Journalist
1999 The Honorable Janine P. Geske Director of Resolution Center, Marquette University
1998 Dr. Howard Fuller Director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning
1997 Rembert Weakland Archbishop
1996 Tommy Thompson Governor of Wisconsin
1995 Mr. Edward Brennan Chairman and CEO of Sears, Roebuck and Co.
1994 His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Archbishop of Chicago
1993 Hon. Frank Shakespeare Ambassador to the Vatican; Ambassador to Portugal
1992 Barbara Bush First Lady
1991 James Coleman Economist
1990 Daniel Pilarczyk Archbishop of Cincinnati
1989 William J. Wilson Professor, University of Chicago
1988 William Rehnquist Supreme Court Justices
1987 Michael Novak American Catholic philosopher, writer, and diplomat
1986 Rev. John Powell, SJ Professor of Theology, Loyola University
1985 C. Everett Koop Surgeon General
1984 Hanna Holborn Gray President, University of Chicago
1983 Loret Ruppe Director of the Peace Corp
1982 Edmund Muskie Former Sec. of State, Former US Senator
1981 Rev. Walter J. Burghardt, S.J.  Theologian
1980 Most Rev. Francisco F. Claver Bishop of Malaybay, P.I.
1979 Rev. John P. Raynor, S.J. President, Marquette University
1978 Rev. Walter J. Ong, S.J. Professor of English and Humanities in Psychiatry at Saint Louis University
1977 Norman C. Francis President, Xavier University of Louisiana 
1976 Rev. John P. Raynor, S.J. President, Marquette University
1975 Rev. John P. Raynor, S.J. President, Marquette University
1974 Rev. John P. Raynor, S.J. President, Marquette University
1973 Rev. John P. Raynor, S.J. President, Marquette University
1972 Richard C. Gerstenberg CEO and Chairman of the Board, General Motors Corporation
1971 Rene J. Dubos Professor of Microbiology and Experimental Pathology, Rockefeller University
1970 Choh-Ming Li Vice Chancellor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
1969 Sir Howard Beale, K.B.E., Q.C Ambassador from Australia to the United States 
1968 Robert D. Murphy Chairman of the Board, Corning Glass International
1967 Mr. George W. Ball Chairman of the Board, Lehman Brothers International, Ltd. 
1966    
1965    
1964    
1963 Rev. William F. Kelley, S.J. (June 2, 1963) Marquette University President from 1962-1965
1962 Rev. William F. Kelley, S.J. (June 3, 1962) Marquette University President from 1962-1965
1961 Rev. Edward J. O’Donnell, S.J. (June 3, 1961) Marquette University President from 1948-1962
1960 Rev. Edward J. O’Donnell, S.J. gave a "Greeting to the Graduates" - program does not show a formal Commencement Address..   Marquette University President from 1948-1962

 

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