See news stories, texts of speeches, videos, and photo galleries from past commencements.
Commencement 2022
Conferral of degrees: May 22, 2022
Keynote address delivered by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, New York Times critic at large, and co-host of the podcast Still Processing, Wesley Morris.
Commencement 2021
Conferral of degrees: May 9, 2021
Keynote address delivered by Ambassador Samantha Power.
Commencement 2020
Conferral of degrees: May 17, 2020
Following an academic year interrupted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, commencement for the Class of 2020 is unprecedented in Colgate history.
Commencement 2019
May 19, 2019
Keynote address delivered by Antonio Delgado ’99, U.S. Representative for New York’s 19th Congressional District.
Commencement 2018
May 20, 2018
Keynote address delivered by Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Commencement 2017
May 21, 2017
Keynote address delivered by Claudia Rankine, nationally renowned poet and recipient of the 2016 MacArthur "Genius" Grant.
Commencement 2016
May 15, 2016
Keynote address delivered by Robert D. Manfred Jr., P’16, commissioner of Major League Baseball.
Commencement 2015
May 17, 2015
Keynote address delivered by Eddie S. Glaude Jr., the William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American studies and the chair of the Center for African American Studies at Princeton University.