Commencement Speakers

1938 – current

 The text of some Commencement speeches may be available in the CSB Archives.

YearNumberGuest SpeakersStudent Speakers    B.A./B.S. Degrees*  
2024109thKatie BoylanEileen Otto344  
2023108thColette PetersJulia Geller395  
2022107thLeAnne Matthews StewartRegan Dolezal373  
2021106thnone, due to pandemicDerica Ferguson449  
2020105thMary HintonLauren Simonet428  
2019104thMary ThompsonMaren Koester403  
2018 103rdBeth Dinndorf Maranna Gunnerson503  
2017 102ndCorie BarryElizabeth Erickson477  
2016 101stAlyssa MastromonacoAnna Cron423  
2015 100thValerie KaurBridget Cummings480  
2014 99thMichele NorrisErin Wissler468  
2013 98thDenise DeVaanAlivia Tison504  
2012 97thAnne ThompsonAllison Horton456  
2011  96thLaura McGraneEmily Bina481  
2010 95thElizabeth AlexanderAshley Ver Burg487  
2009 94rdBelinda JensenAndrea Carrow493  
2008  93rdAhna SkopNatalia Calderon434  
2007  92ndS. Ephrem Hollermann, Ph. D.Carliene Quist433  
2006  91stMaryAnn BaenningerEmily Johnston461  
2005  90thJudge Helen MeyerKatherine Silua492  
2004  89thKrista TippettElena Jelsing471  
2003  88thKathleen Hall Jaimeson, Ph. D.Karolanne Hoffman458   
2002  87thSharon ReivesSarah Gottfried487  
2001  86thHelen ThomasSara Willi473  
2000  85thMarsha Johnson EvansSara K Olson465  
1999  84thBishop John E. KinneySally Koering425  
1998  83rdAngeline Dufner, Ph.D. (December 1997) & Joan Anderson Growe (May 1998)Alissa Haller (December 1997) & Stacey Hey (May 1998)470  
1997  82ndLynn M. Newman (December 1996) & Susan Mundale (May 1997)Lisa Ann Johnson (December 1996) & Rebecca Peters (May 1997)461  
1996  80th &  81stAretha Pigferd, Ph.D. (December 1995) & Patricia McGuire Ph.D. (May 1996)Stacy Therese Stubbs (December 1995) & Katie Krolczyk (May 1996)384  
1995  79thJoan Reibel (December 1994) & Dame Ivy Dumont (May 1995)Arnette Stuart (December 1994) & Elizabeth Morris (May 1995)371  
1994  78thSusan Mundale (December 1993) & Mary Barden Keegan (May 1994)Shannon Campbell (May 1994)385  
1993  77thVivian Jenkins (December 1992) & Patricia Hampl (May 1993)Katie Deignan (May 1993)427  
1992  76thKeva Bethel, Ph.D. (December 1991) & Aliki Coudroglou (May 1992)Margaret Winter (May 1992)417  
1991  75thJanet Serie, Ph.D. (December 1990) & Larraine Matusak Ph. D. (May 1991)Amy Kramer (May 1991)461  
1990  74thIdelia Loso (December 1989) & Diane Lam (May 1990)Nikkie Denne (May 1990)417A.A.
Degrees*
Total
1989  73rdTelzena Coakley (December 1988) & Denise DeVann (May 1989)Carla Noack (May 1989)4162418
1988  72ndRobert L. SpaethPatty Rys4103413
1987  71stS. Mary Anthony Wagner, Ph.D.Mary Kay Pasquesi4201421
1986  70thS. Emmanuel Renner, Ph.D.Amy Kuebelbeck3563359
1985  69thDr. Rosemary RadarMonica Lousie Sinner3759384
1984  68thJudge Diane MurphyMelanie Witte3156321
1983  67thCongresswoman Lindy BoggsLinda Walczynski3297336
1982  66thMariam HofMary Houghnon3647371
1981  65thElizabeth Tidball, Ph.D.Lucy Barrett32413337
1980  64thS. Elizabeth Morancy, R.S.M.Laura S Szalacha31614330
1979  63rdLarraine Matusak, Ph.D.Mary C. Krettek32330353
1978  62ndMaggie KuhnPatricia Skahan27422296
1977  61stHarvey Stegemoeller, D.D.Edith Martin28420304
1976  60thRobert T. SmithClare Rossini22920249
1975  59thStanley J. IdzerdaDenise DeVaan26018278
1974  58thS. Mary Mark DonovanMary Beth Hoey20940249
1973  57thS. Carol BergKaren Wilson and Ann Sokolowski14516161
1972  56thMiriam HofAnn Bullock1334137
1971  55thJoseph Farry &
S. Colman O’Connell
Nancy Carpenter &
Jane Byron
113  
1970  54thReverend Patrick Kelly &
Ronald Lane
Maureen Curran &
Linda Ginther
153  
1969  53rdSidney Callahan 152  
1968  52ndThe Most Reverend James P. Shannon 122  
1967  51stMary Red Newland 96  
1966  50thJohn Edward Carroll 126  
1965  49thMatthew Ahmann 110  
1964  48thRev. Paul Halloran  101  
1963  47thRev. Charles F. Donovan  66  
1962  46thRev. Raymond Roseliep 97  
1961  45thRev. John O’Sullivan67 
1960 44thRev. Benedict Ashley 59  
1959 43thRev. Leonard Cowley 44  
1958 42ndRev. James Patrick Shannon 33  
1957 41stRev. Augustine Rock 38  
1956 40th Canon A. L. Gabriel 40  
1955 39thRev. John Louis Bonn 27  
1954 38thRev. Leo Keaveny 35  
1953 37thRev. John Bergman 27  
1952 36thRev. Peter Bartholeme 33  
1951 35thRev. Monsignor Julius Haun 31  
1950 34thRev. Peter Bartholeme 39  
1949 33thRev. Walter Lebeau 44  
1948 32ndRev. Albert B. Blatz 44  
1947 31stRev. Francis Brady 29  
1946 30thRev. Joseph F. Busch 23  
1945 29thRev. Joseph F. Busch 32  
1944 28thRev. Joseph F. Busch 30  
1943 27thRev. Joseph F. Busch 38  
1942 26thRev. Joseph F. Busch 40  
1941 25thRev. Norbert C. Hoff 46  
1940 24thRev. Charles M. O’Hara 37  
1939 23rdRev. James A. Magner 35  
1938 22ndRev. Monsignor O’Meara 28  

Most of this information is taken from the Commencement Program from each year, AC 05.26.

*Statistics source: Registrar’s Annual Report (total degrees conferred for that academic year)