Speakers at 2026 Catholic graduations to include Ron DeSantis, Cardinal Dolan

Multiple Catholic leaders are slated to be commencement speakers at Newman Guide Schools in 2026.

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Multiple Catholic leaders are slated to be commencement speakers at Newman Guide Schools in 2026.

Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, chapel and statue. | Credit: Joseph Antoniello, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Prominent U.S. Catholic leaders will headline commencement ceremonies at multiple Newman Guide-listed schools this spring, offering words of wisdom and faith to graduates around the country.

Clergy, political leaders, and media figures will all take part in graduation events from Florida to Texas to Ohio and beyond.

Ave Maria University

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be the commencement speaker at Ave Maria University, a spokesperson for the university told EWTN News.

The Florida governor and former presidential candidate, who is a Catholic, will speak at the university’s May 9 graduation ceremony.

Benedictine College

Peter Cancro, the founder and chairman of the popular sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s, will deliver the 2026 commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.

Cancro will address graduates during the college’s commencement exercises on May 16 and will be presented with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, according to a March 3 press release.

Cancro is renowned for his charitable contributions to faith-based organizations, including a $5 million gift to Ave Maria School of Law.

University of Dallas

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop emeritus of New York, will deliver the commencement address at the University of Dallas this year.

The university will present Dolan with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the May 16 ceremony, according to a press release.

“Cardinal Dolan is one of the Church’s most joyful and widely respected shepherds, and we are honored to welcome him to the University of Dallas,” University of Dallas President Jonathan Sanford said.

The Catholic University of America

University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea will return to his alma mater, The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to deliver the commencement address for the class of 2026.

In a March 3 statement, university President Peter Kilpatrick described Shea as a “teacher, evangelist, interpreter of culture, and preacher,” one who is “deeply committed to the education and formation of young people.”

“His ability to engage the larger culture with clarity, Christian hope, and great wit is a much-needed antidote to so many of the challenges we face today and an example I pray our students will take with them into their future vocations,” Kilpatrick said. The school’s graduation ceremony will take place May 16.

Wyoming Catholic College

CatholicVote President and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt will give the commencement address for Wyoming Catholic College.

“As two Wyoming natives, frequently traveling on behalf of our apostolates, our paths cross somewhat regularly,” said Wyoming Catholic College President Kyle Washut in a Feb. 23 press release.

“I have had the privilege of visiting with Kelsey a number of times over the past year, and I have been impressed by her clarity on the moral challenges confronting America today and by her generosity and gentleness toward those who do not agree with her own clear-eyed analysis of those challenges.”

Reinhardt’s commencement address will take place on May 18.

Franciscan University of Steubenville

The founders of the Napa Institute, Tim Busch and Father Robert J. Spitzer, SJ, will deliver commencement speeches for Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio.

Busch, co-founder of the Napa Institute and founder of the Busch Firm, will deliver the commencement address for graduates of Franciscan University’s business and science programs, while Spitzer will give the commencement speech for humanities and social sciences graduates during the May 9 ceremonies, according to a March 10 university press release.

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, will also celebrate the baccalaureate Mass.

Christendom College

Anne Carroll, founder of Seton School and Seton Home Study, will deliver the commencement address at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia.

Carroll, who is the wife of the late Christendom College Founder Warren Carroll, will give the commencement address on May 15, the college announced in a March 12 release.

The college will also honor Carroll “for her outstanding contributions to the Catholic faith, culture, and public life.”

Walsh University

EWTN “Real Life Catholic” host Chris Stefanick will serve as commencement speaker for Walsh University, a Catholic university in Ohio.

The university will also present Stefanick with an honorary doctorate of applied theology at the May 2 commencement ceremonies. “Commencement is more than a celebration of achievement. It is a commissioning,” President Tim Collins said in a Feb. 25 press release.

“The leaders we honor on this day remind us that a life well lived is measured not only by accomplishment, but by impact — by how we place our talents at the service of faith, community, and the greater good. That is our hope for every Walsh University graduate. We pray they carry a deep sense of purpose, lead with integrity, and embrace the calling that gives their lives and work lasting meaning throughout every stage of life.”

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