Jump the navigation

Class of 2025: Ready to ‘Build a Better & Brighter Future’ [Video]

Conservationist Chuck Sams tells graduates: ‘Now more than ever, we need your energy’

By Patrick Record

Under a cloudless blue sky outside Memorial Building, Whitman College’s Class of 2025 received their diplomas on Sunday, May 25, in Walla Walla.

The graduates, who started college in the midst of a pandemic, crossed the stage as one of Whitman’s largest-ever classes: 415 strong.

Respected conservationist, enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and public leader Chuck Sams, who served as Director of the National Park Service during the Biden administration, delivered the commencement address, telling graduates, “Now more than ever, we need your energy. We need your zest, your zeal to build a better and brighter future. So that your stories will be told here and across the nation.”

Enjoy these highlights from the momentous day and read more about the celebration.

Published on May 30, 2025
beaker duck hiker icon-a-to-z icon-arrow-circle-down icon-arrow-circle-up icon-arrow-down icon-arrow-left icon-arrow-right icon-arrow-up icon-calendar-no-circle icon-calendar icon-camera icon-clock icon-cv icon-dot icon-down-triangle icon-email-circle icon-email icon-external-link icon-facebook icon-flickr icon-generic-blog icon-google-plus icon-home icon-instagram icon-library icon-link-circle icon-link-inverted icon-linkedin icon-lock icon-magazine icon-map-pin icon-map2 icon-menu-hamburger icon-menu-mobile-a icon-menu-mobile-b icon-menu-x icon-mywhitman-cog icon-news icon-phone icon-pinterest icon-play icon-quote icon-search-a icon-search-b icon-search-mobile-a icon-search-mobile-b icon-share icon-snail-mail icon-tumblr icon-twitter icon-vimeo icon-youtube logo-whitman-nc-flat logo-whitman-nc-stacked logo-whitman-no-clocktower slider-category-arrow-2px slider-category-arrow-no-line slider-category-arrow-solid slider-category-arrow slider-category-line-2px slider-category-line-solid slider-category-line tc_icon-filmstrip-fl tc_icon-filmstrip-ln tc_icon-play-fl-closed tc_icon-play-fl-open tc_icon-play-ln-closed tc_icon-play-ln-open wifi