Home

10%

St. Edward's May 2025 Commencement

Celebrating our new graduates on the hilltop

By St. Edward's University

May 15^th, 2025

Baccalaureate Mass

Commencement weekend kicked off with a baccalaureate mass of thanksgiving to celebrate the graduates' achievements and honor St. Edward's Holy Cross traditions.

St. Edward's staff sit and listen to the homily.

Director of Campus Safety Billy Atkinson carries a book to the altar.

Professor of Business Kathleen Wilburn holds a bible.

Father Peter Walsh prepares for communion.

Director of Campus Ministry Richard Wilkinson holds his hands out in prayer.

Brother Larry Atkinson offers President Montserrat Fuentes communion while Campus Minister Louis Brusatti offers Provost Marianne Ward-Peradoza a blessing.

Angelica Carrete holds a cup for communion.

Professor of Business Kathleen Wilburn holds a cross.

Father Peter Walsh offers Janiece Jefferson communion.

Director of Campus Ministry Richard Wilkinson offers a graduate communion.

Father Peter Walsh offers a graduate communion.

Graduates embrace one another as they offer signs of peace.

Commencement

St. Edward's University hosted two commencement ceremonies: the morning commencement celebrated graduates from The Bill Munday School of Business (graduate), The School of Behavioral and Social Sciences (undergraduate), The School of Arts and Humanities (undergraduate) and The School of Health Sciences (undergraduate), and the afternoon commencement celebrated The School of Behavioral and Social Sciences (graduate), The Bill Munday School of Business (undergraduate) and The School of Natural Sciences.

Photography and Media Arts graduates stand with their decorated grad caps.

Professor of Mathematics Jason Callahan leads the processional.

Valerie Martin smiles as she walks in the processional.

Adalberto Carlos waves and walks in the processional.

Maria Jose Gonzalez waves as she and other graduates walk in the processional.

Graduates walk and wave in the processional.

Director of Campus Ministry Richard Wilkinson gave the invocation. Mikayla Pastrano '25, outgoing Student Government Association President, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Theatre student Gabrielle North '26 sang the National Anthem. Linus Akanoh Jr. '06, Chair of the Board of Trustees, shared a welcome message.

Director of Campus Ministry Richard Wilkinson gives the invocation.

Mikayla Pastrano leads the Pledge of Allegiance.

Gabrielle North sings the National Anthem.

Linus A. Akanoh Jr. gives the welcome message.

A family holds up large signs of a graduate's face.

Grace Hosek gave the morning undergraduate address. Ismael Garcia III gave the morning graduate address. Melody Borg gave the afternoon undergraduate address. Monica Godinez gave the afternoon graduate address.

President Montserrat Fuentes presented Tyler Mount '13, Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning producer, with an honorary degree. Mount was the commencement speaker for both the morning and afternoon commencements.

President Montserrat Fuentes presents Tyler Mount with an honorary degree.

President Montserrat Fuentes hoods Tyler Mount.

President Montserrat Fuentes and Tyler Mount hold Mount's citation.

Tyler Mount gives the commencement address.

An ASL interpreter signs as Tyler Mount gives the commencement address.

After President Fuentes conferred the degrees upon the graduates, it was their time to shine as they walked across the commencement stage to receive their diplomas, with family and friends cheering them on every step of the way.

Edward Ortiz and President Montserrat Fuentes stand with a diploma.

Iliana Garza shakes hands with Dean Catherine Campbell.

Gabby Caraballo and President Montserrat Fuentes hold a diploma.

Sergio Rodriguez of the Hector and Gloria Lopez Foundation, Lopez Scholar Mario Fuentes, and President Montserrat Fuentes take photo together.

Liza Manjarrez, Senior Associate Director of Campus Ministry, and Coordinator of Student Involvement Ryann Kuosman, embrace a graduate.

Family and friends cheer and take photos.

Family and friends of Amelia Valencia hold up photos of her and take pictures.

A graduate and President Montserrat Fuentes stand for a photo with their diploma.

Danica Morningstar and Andrew Moncada embrace after receiving their diplomas.

Shakiib Wauyo waves to the crowd after receiving his diploma.

Mikayla Pastrano embraces Dean Catherine Campbell.

A graduate and Dean Alexis Stokes shake hands.

Decorated Grad Caps

A favorite commencement tradition for some graduates is to decorate their graduation cap to showcase their personality, highlight their achievements, and honor loved ones.

Andrew Moncada's decorated grad cap honors newly-elected Pope Leo XIV.

Milo Dufresne-MacDonald's decorated grad cap.

A family member takes a photo of a graduate.

Danica Morningstar reacts to receiving her diploma.

Paige Kennedy shakes Dean Catherine Campbell's hand.

A graduate embraces President Montserrat Fuentes.

A graduate shakes hands with President Montserrat Fuentes.

A graduate and President Montserrat Fuentes pose for a photo with their diploma.

A graduate and President Montserrat Fuentes stand together for a photo with their diploma.

Elijah Perez reacts to receiving his diploma.

Christine Stewart's family members hold pictures of their face and take pictures as they walk across the commencement stage.

Christine Stewart and President Montserrat Fuentes stand together for a photo with their diploma.

Anna Turetsky and President Montserrat Fuentes stand together for a photo with their diploma.

Ethan Burd reacts to the inside of his diploma.

Ana Luisa Murillo-Trejo and President Montserrat Fuentes stand together for a photo with their diploma.

Milo Dufresne-MacDonald smiles as they move their tassel to the other side, signifying their graduation.

A graduate looks over their shoulder and smiles.

Shoe Style

Similar to grad caps, shoes give graduates a chance to showcase their own personal style amidst a sea of graduation gowns.

A tattoo of two small paws on a graduate's ankle peak out above their shoes.

Toast to the Graduates

President Fuentes shared a few final words of celebration as graduates shared in and enjoyed an apple cider toast.

A graduate smiles and holds their glass.

Graduates hold their glasses up in a toast.

Graduates hold up their glasses in a toast.

Graduates hold up their glasses up in a toast.

Graduates walk through the red doors of Main Building as friends and family cheer them on.

Legacy Walk

After commencement, graduates took the iconic Legacy Walk through campus and exited through the red doors of Main Building, symbolizing the culmination of their education journey and stepping into their post-grad careers.