Filed under:
Sarah Lawrence College celebrated its 97th Commencement on Friday, May 9, under a tent on Westlands Lawn. Rain didn’t dampen the joy of the more than 2,500 parents, family, and friends who gathered to celebrate the Class of 2025’s 368 bachelors candidates and 93 master's students. Visionary fashion and footwear icon and proud Sarah Lawrence alumnus Sam Edelman '73 delivered the keynote address. Pioneering choreographer and dancer Lucinda Childs ’62 received an honorary degree and also addressed graduates.
Edelman, who is part of a multigenerational family of SLC graduates that includes his parents, his sister, and his cousin, who is married to a two-time alum, shared that Sarah Lawrence was infused in his life long before he set foot on campus as a student. And, contemplating what it meant to be the Commencement speaker at his alma mater 50 years after his graduation, he described the moment as “surreal” and “deeply personal”.
Reflecting on how Sarah Lawrence has prepared graduates, Edelman told the Class of 2025 they are leaving the College with “not just a degree, but a way of seeing the world. Sarah Lawrence doesn’t give you a manual. It gives you a compass. It doesn’t tell you what to think — it teaches you how to think. How to question. How to wonder. How to stretch.”
Childs, similarly, reflected with gratitude on her time at the College, particularly for the professors who deeply influenced her studies and her subsequent groundbreaking career. She also recalled the numerous times she’s come back to campus to work with students, stating how proud she was to see their talent and performances. Prior to addressing graduates, she received a Doctor of Arts degree, honoris causa.
President Cristle Collins Judd welcomed the Class of 2025 with a message of gratitude, reflection, and purpose, celebrating their journey, reaffirming Sarah Lawrence’s core values and the enduring value of the liberal arts, and urging graduates to use their education to transform the world.
As part of this year’s Commencement exercises, the College held a Graduate Hooding ceremony on Thursday, May 8, in the Barbara Walter Campus Center. The hooding ceremony's sole focus was on Sarah Lawrence’s master’s candidates, recognizing their unique achievements in pursuit of advanced degrees.
A full recap of Sarah Lawrence’s 97th Commencement and Graduate Hooding ceremonies, including videos and photos, is available here.