Inspiration Through Jesuit Education

One of the great challenges for any commencement speaker is connecting with an audience of always-excited, often-exhausted and occasionally anxious about-to-be alumni in a way that’s thoughtful, meaningful and hopefully entertaining.

Le Moyne College President Linda LeMura, this year’s Undergraduate Commencement honored speaker, found that connection with a warm, energetic speaking style and a little help from Dracula, Godzilla, Frankenstein and other mythical beasts she’d devour in weekly viewings of a childhood TV show called “Monster Movie Madness.”

LeMura, the first female lay president of any Jesuit college or university, loved watching the creepy, crawly creatures “unleash campy chaos on an unsuspecting world” as a preteen growing up in New York. Even as a kid, she marveled at how silly the movies’ characters would act in obviously perilous situations. Week after week, LeMura told the packed Spokane Arena on May 11, somebody in the movie would make a disastrously bad choice, inspiring another character to scream, “My God, do you realize what you’ve done!?!”

LeMura then noted that it’s actually an excellent question, especially when one changes the tone from one of shockingly frightened to wonderfully excited.

“Do you realize what you’ve done?” she asked the more than 1,400 undergraduates in front of her, a sense of awe in her new intonation. “It’s a question we should ask ourselves with every experience and every decision. Have we thought about where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going? This kind of reflection comes naturally to anyone from a Jesuit school.

“For most people, time is fixed and immutable. For us, it is dynamic and fluid. It is porous. Today’s action’s, yesterday’s lessons, and tomorrow’s possibilities are always in play, informing and shaping one another. This gives us a unique ability to embrace the present, stay true to the past, and look hopefully to the future – all at the same time.”

The characters in her beloved creature features never learned how to evaluate their circumstances, learn from history or imagine a different future, LeMura noted. But everyone who’s earned a Gonzaga degree, steeped in its Jesuit Mission, is prepared for what lies ahead.

“I’m serious when I say that you’ve learned to transcend time,” LeMura said, adding that Gonzaga’s core courses in the humanities, liberal arts and social sciences provide all the context needed for an impactful future. Zags are “broad thinkers with deep expertise,” capable of adapting to “whatever comes your way – tomorrow, next month, or 30 years from now.”

“The monsters of the past hold no terror for you, because you are not bound to the past’s mistakes. Today’s challenges aren’t scary, either, because you have been well prepared. And the future brings hope, not worry, because you know what you are capable of. As college graduates, a lot of people would describe you as well educated. I agree, but I’ll go one better – I think you are timeless.”

LeMura ended by turning her question – “Do you realize what you’ve done?” – on President Thayne McCulloh, praising Gonzaga’s leader retiring in July for being a source of both stability and change, of both consistency and innovation. “You have demonstrated the power of excellence in the service of others,” she said as the arena cheered.

The guest speakers at both the Graduate Commencement and Law Commencement May 10 echoed LeMura’s themes regarding the value of Gonzaga’s Jesuit education, urging the graduates at each ceremony to rely on what they’ve learned in pursuing a life serving others.

Cornelia Davis (’67), M.D. – “Dr. Connie” – recounted to the 646 graduate students on hand at McCarthey Athletic Center how she found personal growth in discomfort after she graduated. What was originally a six-month job in India for the World Health Organization – one she was extremely nervous about as she boarded the plane – turned into a lifelong passion for working in public health, tackling issues ranging from smallpox in India to AIDS in Africa. Davis offered three key takeaways from her experience pushing herself outside her comfort zone: Believe in your potential. View risks as opportunities for growth. And embrace discomfort as a catalyst for change.

“Imagine a future where you’ve said yes to opportunities, taken bold risks and leaned into the discomfort that comes with growth,” Davis said. “You’ll look back and see that those moments of courage and resilience became the foundation for your greatest achievements. You have the power to shape that future, starting now.”

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D- Virginia), speaking at the Law Commencement, worked two decades as a civil rights lawyer before entering politics. He recounted to the 199 Gonzaga Law graduates some of his earliest cases as a young lawyer, working for a Black woman who’d been discriminated against in her search for housing and a disabled woman being taken advantage of by her guardian. Those early experiences showed him the power of simple kindnesses and support offered to those most in need, something he encouraged these new Zag grads to consider as they head into the legal profession.

“My clients taught me lessons that I still draw on today, long after I moved on from law practice into elected office,” Kaine said. “They changed me as a lawyer. They changed me as a person. They made me better as a person, and they will do the same for you.”

Inspiring Words from Graduating Students

While the student speakers at the different commencement ceremonies each brought their own flair to their time speaking to their classmates, all of them touched on aspects of Gonzaga’s mission, with a particular focus on the graduating Zags serving others and leaning on their Gonzaga community in the future.

“I hope you listen to your gut,” said law commencement student speaker Mia Irvin (’25 J.D.). “I hope that you stand up for what’s right; both when it is comfortable and when it is uncomfortable. I hope that you use this degree to make the world a better place, holding the door open for those who follow behind you. I hope you champion the voices that need you; the voices that are ignored or overlooked or talked over or dismissed. I hope you get off the sidelines when it counts.”

Meaghan Mugleston (‘25, Doctor of Nurse Practice), speaking at the graduate commencement ceremony, challenged those gathered to embrace lifelong learning, and to be stewards of human connection even as the technology that was so useful in pursuing an advanced degree seems to work against face-to-face interactions.

“Advances in artificial intelligence are likely to bring even faster changes to our lives,” Mugleston said. “Now is a critical time to identify and protect the fundamentally human aspects of our work. As a nurse, I have learned that sometimes the most healing intervention I can offer I's a medication or a procedure, it’s holding a patient’s hand and meeting them with the shared empathy of human experience.”

Undergraduate commencement speaker Kylie Mukai (’25, English and education) reflected on the passage of time as a welcome desk concierge for her four years at Gonzaga, watching new students arrive on Welcome Weekend and seeing them evolve during their time at Gonzaga, as she has. “We gained a large network of peers and fellow alumni, experiences local and abroad, and memories that have shaped who we are and how we show up the in world,” Mukai said, noting the challenges many of this year’s class have faced, from the loss of family members to the COVID pandemic to the uncertainty of the nation’s politics.

“As Zags, we are called to live lives of leadership and service for the common good, and I’ve come to understand that this begins not with certainty, but with presence,” Mukai said. “So as we embark into our future, we leave behind the comfort of what we’ve known, but carry forward the habits of showing up, asking questions, and supporting one another in the mess of it all.”

More Recognitions and Celebrations

While the Commencement ceremonies are the largest events, the GU community also holds many smaller ceremonies to recognize excellent students, faculty and staff members throughout the final weeks of the school year.

One new event in 2025 was the inaugural induction ceremony for Gonzaga's new Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Seventy-five graduating students were inducted into nation’s oldest honor society at a gathering that welcomed representatives of the national Phi Beta Kappa organization and a series of inspiring speeches about this significant addition to the Gonzaga community.

Among the other celebrations in the days and weeks leading up to Commencement weekend were the annual ROTC commissioning and nursing pinning ceremonies, and ceremonies for Asian, African American, Native American, Hispanic/Latine, LGBTQ+ students and more. There were parties for members of the Bomb Squad dance troupe, a student film festival, GSBA banquet and the UMEC First Generation Celebration. The Center for Community Engagement also missioned students entering a year of service through organizations such as the Peace Corps and Jesuit Volunteer Corps. The Magis Awards – held annually for 33 years – honor seven of the most remarkable student leaders. Virtually every college and program on campus finds a way to honor its Zags and the faculty and staff who support them on their GU journeys.