Innovators, entrepreneurs, scholars are among the speakers to address Northeastern graduates during Boston Commencement events

Northeastern University celebrates its undergraduate and graduate 2021 Commencement ceremonies at Boston’s Historic Fenway Park on May 8th & 9th. Speakers included Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, a distinguished group of influential figures as well as student speakers. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

This is part of our coverage of Northeastern’s 2022 Commencement exercises. For more information, including a livestream, photos, and live coverage throughout the day, visit our dedicated Commencement page.

Commencement is fast approaching. And in addition to the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies taking place on May 13 at Fenway Park, there is a star-studded lineup of speakers slated to address Northeastern students on the Boston campus during this year’s Commencement programming.

The college-based ceremonies will take place in Matthews Arena and they include, in chronological order:

  • Ph.D. ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m. on Monday, May 9;
  • College of Engineering undergraduate ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 10;
  • College of Social Sciences and Humanities undergraduate and graduate ceremony scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10;
  • College of Science undergraduate and graduate ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10;
  • College of Arts, Media and Design undergraduate and graduate ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 11;
  • Khoury College of Computer Sciences undergraduate and graduate ceremonies scheduled for 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively, on Wednesday, May 11;
  • Bouvé College of Health Sciences undergraduate and graduate ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 12;
  • D’Amore-McKim School of Business undergraduate and graduate ceremonies scheduled for 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, on Thursday, May 12; 
  • School of Law commencement scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday, May 20;
  • College of Professional Studies undergraduate and graduate ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, May 20.

There will be a distinguished speaker headlining each event. Returning to address graduates of the law school is Victoria Roberts, a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan and a graduate of Northeastern School of Law. Roberts has served as the keynote speaker for Women in the Law and recently held a “pipeline to clerkship program” for Northeastern students in the Black Law Students Association

Speaking to College of Engineering graduates is Chaitanya “Chet” Kanojia, co-founder and CEO of Starry Inc., an internet service provider and wideband hybrid fiber wireless technology company. This year, 752 engineering students are graduating. 

Speaking to Bouvé College of Health Sciences graduates is Jeffrey Leiden, executive chairman of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based pharmaceutical company working on medicines and therapies for a range of serious illnesses. This year, 425 Bouvé students will be graduating.

Venture capitalist and award-winning documentary filmmaker David Fialkow, who co-founded venture capital firm General Catalyst Partners, will be speaking to 356 College of Arts, Media and Design graduates. 

Priscilla Douglas, founder of consulting firm PHDouglas & Associates and a business leader who held executive roles at General Motors, Xerox, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, will be speaking to graduates of the College of Professional Studies. 

Northeastern’s own Ted Landsmark, distinguished professor of public policy and urban affairs and director of Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, will be speaking to graduates of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. 

And Andrew Plump, president of research and development of Takeda Pharmaceutical, a global biopharmaceutical company, will be speaking to 170 Northeastern graduates during the Ph.D. ceremony.

There will be no formal keynote speakers during the D’Amore-McKim School of Business commencement events. 

There are 26 academic ceremonies linked to Commencement taking place across the university network this year. Northeastern will celebrate its graduates from coast to coast in the U.S., as well as at its campuses in London and Canada. 

Northeastern announced recently that Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO of Chobani, will address nearly 30,000 Northeastern graduates and their families at this year’s undergraduate commencement ceremony on Friday, May 13, at 5 p.m. in iconic Fenway Park. The graduate ceremony will be held the same day, at 10 a.m., with award-winning NPR journalist and Northeastern alumna Leila Fadel delivering the commencement address.

For media inquiries, please contact media@northeastern.edu.