New Jersey’s collegiate class of 2022 has survived years of turmoil due to the COVID pandemic, but this month it’s time to celebrate. Some universities are holding their first individual celebrations since 2019, others have also been celebrating classes for the past two years, which missed their own celebrations. And schools in New Jersey have attracted bold-faced name speakers such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, Nicole Hanna-Jones and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Here is a list of graduation commencement ceremonies in the state, as well as a list of speakers when available. As not all colleges and universities have announced speakers yet, this list will be updated as those announcements appear.
Update: Postponed from May 7th and May 8th: Rowan University
Rowan University’s university-wide commencement ceremony, which was rescheduled for Sunday, has been canceled due to Sunday’s forecast of bad weather. The university will honor graduates next week during Monday, May 9-Friday, May 13. This week there will be 19 celebrations over five days, during which graduates will proceed on stage to accept their diploma cover.
May 7: Centenary University
Tent near the David and Carol Lackland Center at 9 a.m. (Bachelor of Science and Associate of Science), 1 p.m. (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Social Work and Associate of Arts).
President: Heather O’Reilly, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and former U.S. women’s national soccer team member.
May 11: Monmouth University
4 p.m., Kessler Field. The rain site at West Long Branch is OceanFirst Bank Center.
Speakers: Jack Ford, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning CBS News correspondent for Metro Focus and 60 Minutes Sports on PBS.
May 12: Ramapo College.
8:45 a.m. Prudential Center, Newark.
Speaker: Foreign policy scholar, author and consultant, Dr. Corey Sheik.
May 13: University of St. Elizabeth
10 a.m., Menon Arena, Morristown.
President: Jacqueline Fortune Carter, Director of Community Engagement, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Houston, Texas.
May 13: Stockton University
10 a.m. for the School of Health Sciences and School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 2:30 p.m. for graduates from all other programs, Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
President: Brian Bridges, NJ Secretary of Higher Education. Celebrations include students who have graduated in the summer or fall of 2021 and the spring of 2022.
May 14: Drew University
At 10 a.m., Mead Hall Lawn. (In case of rain, Simon Forum).
Speakers: Dr. Luis Jodar, Pfizer’s Head of Vaccine Therapy Development, Clinical and Scientific Affairs, and Dr. Kimani Paul-Emil, Professor of Law, Associate Director and Head of Justice at Fordham Law School’s Center on Race, Law and Initiatives.
May 14: Ryder University
At 2 p.m., Cure Insurance Arena, Trenton.
Speakers: Paul Muller, owner of Team Toyota of Langhorne, Princeton and Glenn Mills.
May 15: Rutgers University
10 a.m., SHI Stadium.
Speaker: David Remnick, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author, editor of the new Yorker.
May 15: Caldwell University
Newman Center at 1 p.m.
Speakers: Yaman Thapa, who will receive a chemistry degree with a minor in neuroscience, and Louis LaSalle, who holds an honorary degree, a longtime executive in New Jersey’s health industry.
May 16: Rutgers University-Newark
10 a.m., Prudential Center, Newark.
Speaker: Award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa.
May 17: Rutgers University-Camden
6:30 p.m., Waterfront Music Pavilion, Camden.
Speakers: Nicole Hanna-Jones, Pulitzer Prize winning producer of The 1619 Project, MacArthur Genius, winner of The National Magazine Award.
May 17: New Jersey Institute of Technology
8:40 AM, Prudential Center, Newark.
President: Dr. Shirley N. Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
May 18: Fairleigh Dickinson University
9:30 a.m., MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford.
President: John Harmon Sr., president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey.
May 18: William Paterson University
9 a.m., Prudential Center, Newark.
President: Carlos Medina, president and CEO of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, and Robinson Ariel, president.
May 18: Princeton University Class of 2020
9:45, Powers Field at Princeton Stadium.
President: Christopher L. Eisgruber, president of Princeton University.
May 19: Keane University
8:30 a.m., Prudential Center in Newark.
Speaker: Lauren Ridloff, Tony-nominated actress best known for roles in The Walking Dead and as Marvel’s first deaf superhero (Eternal).
May 20: Bloomfield College
12:30 pm, College Quadrangle.
Speaker: Hon. Jose L. Linares, the first Hispanic to serve as Chief Justice of the United States District Court of New Jersey, the first Cuban-born District Court Chief in the United States, and Melissa “Bissa” Yamba-Butler Award-winning fiber artist who has received African National appreciation for celebrating the history of Americans.
May 20: Montclair State University
3 p.m., MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford. No speaker.
May 20: Pilar College
2 pm, Zarefath Christian Church, 2 Ministry Center Drive, Zarefath
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, pastor of the meeting place in Orlando, FL and president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.
May 20-21: College of New Jersey
Eight Festivals at Lions Stadium. No speaker.
May 21: Felician University
At 10 a.m., The Rink at the American Dream.
Speaker: Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of Homeland Security during the Obama administration.
May 22-24: Princeton University
Teach for America founder Wendy Kopp will speak at the Baccalaureate ceremony on May 22. On May 23, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Chief Medical Adviser to the President, will speak at the Class Day celebrations. On May 24, President Christopher L. Eisgruber will speak at the outset.
May 24: Seton Hall University
9 a.m., Prudential Center, Newark.
President: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
May 25: Stevens Institute of Technology
10 a.m. School of Business, School of Systems and Enterprises, College of Arts and Letters; 3 p.m. School of Engineering and Science, Meadowlands Expo Center, Secaucus.
Speaker: Cal Ripkin, Baseball Hall of Famer, philanthropist, and best-selling author.
May 26: St. Peter’s University
11 a.m., PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel.
President: Rev. DeForest b. Souris, Pastor Emeritus at First Baptist Church in Lincoln Garden and former Secretary of State for New Jersey.
October 1: Thomas Edison State University opens
“Since our students are adult learners, we deliberately hold initiation ceremonies at a different time of year so that our students, many of whom are families and have been waiting for years to earn their degrees, have the opportunity to choose between their child and children. does not require (or grandchildren or relatives) graduation ceremonies and their own,” said university spokeswoman Victoria A. Monaghan.
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