SJU Commencement Speakers

NOTE: Having a commencement speaker, as we know the ceremony, was not always the custom. Apparently it became the custom at SJU in 1882, 25 years after its 1857 founding.

2008—Mr. William Green
2007—Mr. Bob Abernethy
2006—Dr. R. Scott Appleby
2005—Mr. Charles M. Denny, Jr.
2004—Mr. Thomas Beaudoin
2003—Mr. Ray Suarez
2002—The Honorable Mark Kennedy
2001—Fred de Sam Lazaro
2000—Rev. William J. Byron, S.J.
1999—Prof. Michael Perry
1998—Dr. Evan Maurer
1997—The Honorable Guido Calabresi
     1997 (December)—Dr. Charles Bobertz
1996—Mr. Steven Rothschild
     1996 (December)—Ms. Betty Wolterman
1995—Mr. Stephen Sommers
     1995 (December)—Mr. David Lyndgaard
1994—The Honorable Alan C. Page
     1994 (December)—Dr. Joseph Farry
1993—Mr. Colman McCarthy
     1993 (December)—Rev. Timothy Backous, O.S.B.
1992—Governor George A. Sinner
1991—Rev. Hilary D. Thimmesh, O.S.B.
1990 —Ambassador Edward J. Perkins
1989—Mr. William F. Buckley, Jr.
1988—Mr. Paul D. Schurke
1987—Ms. Carolyn Forche
1986—Rev. David Burrell, C.S.C
1985—Dr. Esther de Waal
1984—Mr. Garrison Keillor
1983—Senator David Durenberger
1982—Mr. Jon Hassler
1981—Dr. Harlan Cleveland
1980—Dr. Mortimer J. Adler
1979—Mr. Thomas F. Roeser
1978—Rev. Hilary D. Thimmesh, O.S.B.
1977—The Honorable Sam Ervin, Jr.
1976—Mr. Russell Baker
1975—Senator Hubert H. Humphrey
1974—Dr. Robert H. Dumonceaux
1973—Prof. Norman James
1972—Rev. John Howard, O.S.B.
1971—Dr. Dana L. Farnsworth, M.D.
1970—Rev. Andrew J. Young
1969—The Right Honorable Lord Caradon
1968—Dr. Eugene C. Blake
1967—Lady Barbara Ward Jackson
1966—Dr. Jaroslav J. Pelikan
1965—Rev. John Courtney Murray, S.J.
1964—Senator Eugene J. McCarthy
1963—The Most Reverend Paul Leonard Hagarty, O.S.B.
1962—Mr. Gerald E. Sherry
1961—Mr. Philip J. Scharper
1960—The Most Reverend Peter W. Bartholome
1959—Mr. John Cogley
1958—Dr. David A. Boyd, Jr., M.D.
1957—The Most Reverend Leo F. Dworschak
1956—The Most Reverend Archbishop John Gregory Murray
1955—Sister Madeleva, C.S.C.
1954—Rev. Philip Hughes
1953—The Honorable Eugene J. McCarthy
1952—Dr. Helen C. White
1951—Rev. Hans A. Reinhold
1950—Dr. Donald J. Cowling
1949—The Most Reverend Francis Schenk
1948—Dr. Patrick A. Crowley
1947—Dr. Laurence M. Gould
1946—Rev. Wilfred Mallon, S.J.
1945—Rev. J. Timothy Gannon
1944—Prof. James J. Doland
1943—The Honorable Lawrence M. Hall
1942—The Most Reverend Peter W. Bartholome
1941—Rev. James H. Moynihan
1940—Dr. Louis J.A. Mercier
1939—The Most Reverend Joseph F. Busch
1938—Dr. Mortimer J. Adler
1937—Dr. Martin Ruud
1936—Dr. Jerome G. Kirwin
1935—Mr. John J. Courtney
1934—Dr. Richard E. Scammon
1933—Dr. William O'Brien, M.D.
1932—The Most Reverend Joseph F. Busch
1931—Rev. Leo Keaveny
1930—Rev. Philip H. Kiley
1929—The Most Reverend Joseph F. Busch
1928—Abbot Alcuin Deutsch, O.S.B.
1927—The Most Reverend Joseph F. Busch
1926—The Most Reverend Joseph F. Busch
1925—Abbot Alcuin Deutsch, O.S.B.
1924—The Honorable James Quigley
1923—James A. Garrity
1922—Charles E. Vasaly
1921—John Willis
1920—Rt. Rev. Joseph Busch, D.D.
1917—Most Rev. John Bonzano, D.D.
1914—Joseph Janovick, 1902
1912—John Willis
1910—Bishop Patrick Heffren, 1878
1909—Rev. George A. Arctander, 1888
1908—Rev. Daniel Lynch, 1886
1906—William Markoe, 1869
1905—John Ahmann, 1877
1904—Rev. L. J. Vaughan
1903—William Markoe, 1869
1898—Bishop Trobec
1895—Bishop Marty
1894—Governor Knute Nelson
1892—Judge D.B. Searle
1891—Hon. Frank E. Searle
1885—Hon. H.C. Waite
1884—J.C. Arctander
1882—Hon. H.C. Waite