The Baccalaureate Service, with roots in medieval academic tradition, honors the achievements of the candidates for the bachelor’s (“bacca”) degree by presenting them with the laurels (“lauri”) of oration.
Commencement
Baccalaureate Speaker
Brown’s baccalaureate tradition derives from the wide range of religious, ethnic, geographic, linguistic and musical traditions present within the campus community.
Baccalaureate Speaker
Brown’s baccalaureate tradition derives from the wide range of religious, ethnic, geographic, linguistic and musical traditions present within the campus community.
2025 Baccalaureate Speaker
The 2025 Baccalaureate address will be given by Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix.
Past Speakers
Recent speakers have included, among others:
- Jessica Meir, NASA astronaut and marine biologist
- Carlos Lejnieks, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Steven R. Jordan, NFL Player and business leader
- John Krasinksi, actor
- Daveed Diggs, performer, rapper and writer
- Kevin Gover, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian
- Robert Corrigan, former San Francisco State University president
- Nalini Moreshwar Nadkarni, forest ecologist and science advocate
- Beverly Wade Hogan, Tougaloo College President
https://www.youtube.com/embed/i4pKxOStxUE
Carlos Lejnieks
CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters