The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s class of 2025 arrived Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium to celebrate the largest commencement in university history as speakers — including graduates, alumni, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and Wall Street Journal Sports Columnist Jason Gay — emphasized resilience and learning to bridge political divides.
“As you learned in your time here, we don’t do things in a small way at UW-Madison,” Mnookin told the 8,679 graduates.
She stressed how she feels UW-Madison’s education allows for embracing differing opinions and moving “beyond bubbles and echo chambers.”
“You are stepping into a world that is both deeply complex and distressingly polarized, and you have the power to do something good in that world, especially if you can find ways to work with people you might not always agree with,” she said.
One of these polarizing subjects was on full display after Mnookin’s speech, when Senior Class DEI Director Dana Tabaza — a Palestinian-Jordanian Industrial Engineering graduate — received boos when referencing the history of displacement Palestinian people have faced and stressed the importance of resilience in her community. The boos were followed by an uproar of countering cheers from the audience.
“As we prepare to walk out of these wars and into a world still riddled with injustice and oppression, we must remember that the privilege of a UW-Madison education comes with a responsibility to use it in the service of others,” Tabaza said.
Keynote speaker Jason Gay delivered a humor-filled speech celebrating the Badger Women’s Hockey National Championship win. He recapped women’s hockey player Kirsten Simms’ last second penalty shot against Ohio State that sent the championship game into overtime, drawing parallels between the moment and challenges he anticipates graduating Badgers will face in the future.
He said before scoring the penalty shot, with 18 seconds to go, Head Coach Mark Johnson looked at his players and asked “‘Who wants it? Wisconsin needs a player ready to seize the moment.’”
Gay said that overtime shot, and eventual win, was “a true team effort,” and was an example of a question graduating Badgers will be confronted with: “Who wants it?”
He told graduates to “seize the moment” and to be guided by their “sense of purpose” and the values that are important to them.
“Your purpose doesn't have to be high-minded, like saving the world. If you want to go out and save the world, don’t let me stop you — go right ahead,” Gay joked. “Your purpose can simply be the priorities that you maintain as you go through your life.”
Saturday’s commencement ceremony also included speeches from Provost Charles Lee Isbell Jr., UW System Regent Edmund Manydeeds III, senior class Vice President Shelby Olson and senior class President Sam Mahlum, as well as a performance of “Build Me Up Buttercup” by the MadHatters acapella group — a song that is a staple celebration during Badger sporting events.
Graduates sang along and danced to the acapella performance, embracing the longtime UW-Madison tradition with fellow Badgers one last time.
Iain Chang is a senior staff writer at The Daily Cardinal covering state news and politics.
