Allred, Domingo, Latour to Headline American University's 2025 Spring Commencement

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- An all-star lineup of leaders from the fields of law, food security, entertainment, journalism, business and finance will address and celebrate 3,000 American University graduates during this year's spring commencement on AU's Washington, D.C. campus.

This year's speakers are Gloria Allred, founding partner at Allred, Maroko & Goldberg; Orlando Bravo, co-founder and managing partner of Thoma Bravo, a private equity investment firm; Colman Domingo, Academy Award–nominated actor, producer and director; Almar Latour, SOC/MA '96, publisher of The Wall Street Journal and CEO of Dow Jones; Radha Muthiah, president and CEO of Capital Area Food Bank; and Elhadj As Sy, global health, development and humanitarian leader.

The traditional bagpipe processional will kick off commencement ceremonies, which will be held in Bender Arena on Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10, for undergraduate and graduate students across most AU schools and colleges, and on Saturday, May 17, for the Washington College of Law. The events will be livestreamed for the families and friends of AU's newest alumni.

"American University graduates are dedicated to lives of purpose, service and leadership and our six outstanding 2025 commencement speakers all reflect this dedication to civic engagement," AU President Jonathan Alger said. "Each of our honorees has made lasting impacts in communities around the world and they exemplify our charge to 'dream big.' They will further inspire our graduating Eagles as they begin their own journeys and fulfill their unique big dreams."

Speakers on Friday, May 9:

Radha Muthiah is the president and CEO of Capital Area Food Bank, which anchors our region's charitable food ecosystem. Under her leadership, CAFB distributes the food for more than 60 million meals annually and operates multiple innovative, cross-sector initiatives focused on addressing food insecurity in the long term. Muthiah has been recognized by Washington Business Journal as Nonprofit CEO of the Year and as a Woman Who Means Business and by Washingtonian magazine as Washingtonian of the Year and one of Washington's Most Powerful Women. She will address graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences on Friday, May 9, at 9 a.m.

Elhadj As Sy is a global health, development and humanitarian leader who served as the secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and has held leadership positions at such international agencies as UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNDP, WHO Health Emergencies Programme and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He chairs the board of the Kofi Annan Foundation and was recently named the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine's first chancellor in its 125-year history. He will address graduates of the School of International Service on Friday, May 9, at 2 p.m.

Speakers on Saturday, May 10:

Colman Domingo starred as civil rights leader Bayard Rustin in Netflix and Higher Ground's Rustin, for which he received Academy Award, Golden Globes, BAFTA and SAG nominations. He also played Mister in the Warner Bros. production of The Color Purple, which received a SAG ensemble nomination. Domingo executive produced and starred in Greg Kwedar's film Sing Sing, for which he received a second Academy Award nomination. He will address graduates of the School of Public Affairs on Saturday, May 10, at 9 a.m.

Almar Latour, SOC/MA '96, is the publisher of The Wall Street Journal and CEO of Dow Jones. Under his leadership, Dow Jones has delivered record financial results, more than doubling profitability in four years, with significant growth in subscriptions and business information services. Latour will address graduates of the School of Education and the School of Communication on Saturday, May 10, at 2 p.m.

Orlando Bravo is a founder and managing partner of Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, and the founder and chair of the Bravo Family Foundation, which provides young adults in Puerto Rico with access to opportunity. In 2019, he committed $100 million to the foundation's Rising Entrepreneurs Program with the goal of fostering entrepreneurship on the island. Bravo is one of the top software investors in the world. He will address graduates of the Kogod School of Business and Professional Studies, which recently launched the Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence (IAAI), further positioning the university and business school as global leaders in AI education, application and research. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 10, at 6 p.m.

Speaker on Saturday, May 17:

Gloria Allred is the founding partner at Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, a law firm that has successfully handled more women's rights cases than any other private firm in the nation. Over the course of her nearly 50-year legal career, Allred has received numerous honors in recognition of her groundbreaking work, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Trial Lawyers for her pioneering role in combating injustices and winning new rights, especially for women and minorities. President Barack Obama introduced her as "one of the best attorneys in the country," while President Ronald Reagan presented her with the 1986 Volunteer Action Award for Outstanding Volunteerism. Allred will address graduates of the Washington College of Law on Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m.

About American University

American University leverages the power and purpose of scholarship, learning, and community to impact our changing world. AU's faculty, students, staff, and alumni are changemakers who shape the future from sustainability to social justice to the sciences. Building on our 130-year history of education and research in the public interest, we say 'Challenge Accepted' to addressing the world's pressing issues.

SOURCE American University