Randolph celebrates the Class of 2025 during Commencement

Geoffrey Kershner

Geoffrey Kershner’s message to the Class of 2025 on Sunday, May 11, was about home—“not the one you come from or the one you hope to find,” he said, “but the one you can create.” 

Kershner, CEO of the Academy Center of the Arts, shared his own journey with students, from growing up in Amherst to attending college in Philadelphia and Florida before ultimately coming home. 

“Life brought me back—not because I was forced to return, but because I discovered something essential about myself: the deep connection between art, community, place, and ultimately myself,” he said. “I began to understand that the strength of a place isn’t just in what already exists, but in what we bring to it.” 

Kershner recognized the unprecedented times students are facing. 

“This moment you’re stepping into is not an easy one,” he said. “There’s uncertainty in the economy, in our culture, and perhaps in your own plans. The job market may be tighter, the paths less obvious, and the timing less forgiving than you might have hoped. And yet—this is precisely the kind of moment that forges big things.

“So graduates, as you step into a world of uncertainty know it is still one filled with choices,” he continued. “Some of you will go far, some of you will stay close, but no matter where you land, I challenge you to take ownership of the place where you live. Go out and make your home—wherever you choose to build it.” 

The ceremony was held on Mother’s Day in a nod to Randolph’s history as a woman’s college, and many speakers took the opportunity to honor the moms in the crowd. 

Student Government President Lexie Lama ’25 speaks to her classmates during Commencement.

Student Government President Lexie Lama ’25 paid tribute to her mother— “the kind of person whose strength is stitched into every small thing she does”—and drew on a piece of advice she grew up hearing. 

“No matter what life throws at you, no matter how heavy your heart feels, no matter how uncertain the path ahead may be, always—always—wear your crown proudly,” said Lama, a psychology major. “Carry it with grace through every storm. Let it remind you of who you are, of everything you’ve overcome to get here—and everything you’re destined to become. You all are beautiful, intelligent human beings who are capable of such amazing things. And you are more than ready to start this new chapter in your lives. 

“Thank you, Randolph,” she added, “for the most unforgettable four years of my life.”

Sunday’s ceremony also included a land acknowledgment read by Presidential Ambassadors Cesar Ibarra-Lopez ’26 and Iyania Corbett ’26 and the announcement of the recipients of the prestigious Maude Huff Fife Award.

Named after a graduate of the Class of 1918, the award is given to the student (or students) whose quality point ratio is the highest in the senior class. This year, the award was given to three students: Luke Chapman ’25, Jacob Lofaso ’25, and Paige Scruggs ’25. 

In her remarks, President Sue Ott Rowlands encouraged students to make space in their lives for different perspectives. 

“At Randolph, we know that visions of an abundant life are not confined to any single tradition or perspective, whether religious or secular,” she said. “Our campus community is a living tapestry of beliefs, cultures, sincere commitments, and profound questions. Here, difference is not something merely to be tolerated, nor is it an obstacle to be overcome. Difference is an asset—one that enriches our community and fosters mutual growth.

“In a world that too often lets difference divide us, you, the Class of 2025, have shown the courage to listen with compassion, to learn with an open heart, and to embrace complexity even when it is challenging,” she added. “You have embodied what it means to live abundantly—not by narrowing your vision, but by widening your understanding of yourself and others.”