Whitman College Prepares To Celebrate the Class of 2025 at Commencement

Graduates in the Class of 2025 will soon cross the stage in front of Memorial Building and mark a significant milestone in their lives—at the 139th Whitman College Commencement Ceremony.

On Sunday, May 25, professors, classmates, friends and family will gather to celebrate one of the largest graduating classes in Whitman’s history, with more than 400 scholars receiving their diplomas.

Leading up to commencement, graduates will participate in a variety of celebrations commemorating this capstone to their undergraduate education. Two of these celebrations—Baccalaureate and commencement—are open to the public.

Pause for Reflection

A longtime tradition at Whitman is the Baccalaureate ceremony, held this year on Saturday, May 24, at 2:30 p.m. in Cordiner Hall. A livestream video viewing option will also be available.

Hosted by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, Baccalaureate is an hourlong celebration featuring music performances by graduating Music majors and brief readings, prayers and reflections from a wide range of religious traditions, including humanist/nonreligious perspectives.

The keynote address at Baccalaureate will be delivered by Elizabeth Knapp, Professor of Earth and Environmental Geoscience at Washington and Lee University, where she also serves as Director of the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity. She is the mother of Jenner Smith ’22 and graduating senior Charlie Smith ’25, both Geology-Environmental Studies majors at Whitman.

At the Podium: Chuck Sams

The 2025 commencement keynote address will be delivered by Charles (Chuck) F. Sams III, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and a distinguished conservationist and public leader.

Sams served as Director of the National Park Service from December 2021 to January 2025. He was the first Native American appointed to this national leadership role. During his tenure in the position, the land units co-stewarded by tribal communities more than quadrupled, promoting the use of Indigenous knowledge to improve understanding of the natural world. 

Prior to being nominated to serve at the National Park Service, Sams was a representative on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, which seeks to ensure an affordable and reliable energy system while enhancing fish and wildlife in the Columbia River Basin. In February, Sams was nominated by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to return to the council.

Sams was instrumental in building the relationships that led to the development of the first Memorandum of Agreement between Whitman College and the CTUIR, has been a guest speaker at New Student Orientation, and co-taught an Indigenous Politics course that included students from both Whitman and the CTUIR.

Senior Speaker

Each year, the senior class chooses one of their own to say a few words at commencement. This year, representing the Class of 2025 will be José Silva ’25. Silva, who grew up in Walla Walla, is majoring in Sociology with minors in Psychology and Politics. During his time at Whitman, he was involved locally in the community and was a two-time recipient of the Whitman Internship Grant, which he used to intern at an immigration law firm in Walla Walla. Additionally, he spent a semester in Washington, D.C., interning at a nonprofit organization working with underrepresented communities. 

Class Banner

The Class of 2025 banner was designed by Hali Lindgren ’25, a Psychology major from Austin, Texas. During her time at Whitman, she was actively engaged on campus as a leader for the Outdoor Program, Assistant Manager and Instructor at the Climbing Center, Social Media Manager for the Whitman Outdoor Journal, Team Manager and student-athlete for the lacrosse team, and Vice President of Communications for Delta Gamma. 

Watch Live

The 139th Whitman College Commencement Ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 25, at 11 a.m. on the lawn in front of Memorial Building on Boyer Avenue. A livestream video viewing option will also be available to watch, beginning with the processional at 10:50 a.m.