Commencement 2025 at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs was more than a milestone–it was a moment of momentum. As graduates received their degrees, they were met not only with applause, but with a call to lead.
Speakers throughout the ceremony challenged them to step into the world’s most urgent issues with courage, clarity, and a commitment to advance the common good.
A crowd of faculty, staff, family, and friends attended the May 17 ceremony at Ted Mann Concert Hall at the University of Minnesota to cheer on the 120 master’s degree graduates, and one doctoral graduate.
Humphrey School Dean Nisha Botchwey congratulated the graduates for completing their degrees, noting that they did so during a time of great uncertainty.
“Many of you have shared with me your hopes and your concerns about jobs, safety, and the well-being of friends and loved ones. Some of these concerns are deeply individual. And so many others are shared across your cohort. You are not alone. You are not alone in holding the complexity of this moment,” she said. “And still—here you are. You have chosen to lead. You have chosen hope. Not a passive, wishful thinking, but a purposeful commitment to show up for each other and for the part of our world that you shape and will continue to shape.
“As you leave the Humphrey School, remember: You are ready,” Botchwey added. “Our world needs you. This moment, here and now, is both a celebration and a call to action rooted in justice and purpose. I want to remind you that the tools, relationships, and courage you’ve built here will serve you in answering your own call to action long after today. Congratulations, graduates. Carry your truth, your voice, and your leadership forward.”
Watch video of the ceremony See photos
Highlights:
Keynote speaker David Uejio (MPP ‘06), an alumnus and longtime federal government employee, spoke of the importance of public service even during challenging times.
Uejio’s most recent position was associate director for Policy, Data, and Oversight at the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Prior to that, he spent more than a decade at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, including one year as acting director.
Uejio joked that he has a unique distinction among the School’s commencement speakers. “I feel reasonably certain I am the only one who has given [a commencement speech] while being paid to not work.”
He was laid off from his job at the FHFA a few months ago, “a casualty of government wide cuts to civil rights enforcement.” Although he’s gone through some anxious moments since then, Uejio said he is still committed to public service.
“In my experience, crises and the adversity they bring are inflection points, sometimes personally, sometimes for the country. I believe that the dismantling of the federal government is a slow-motion crisis. … Rather than confronting societal problems, we are actively engaged in the process of dismantling the very systems designed to address them.
“Against that backdrop, I have two simple messages for you today. One: always remember that on its best day, public service is about solving problems. This work is hard, it’s real, and it’s worth doing. Two: if you take up this mantle of public service, there will be crises you can’t predict. When that happens, the way through is to step back, recommit, and find another way.
“In these moments I remind myself that public service is one of the highest callings, tackling societal problems is the most worthwhile work, and on our best days our successes can make a tremendous difference in peoples’ lives.
“My hope for you on this day of your graduation is this: that even—and especially—in these dark days, that you will answer the call, undeterred by the challenge and inspired by the possibility that we can meet the moment.
“Congratulations on all of your efforts to reach this point, and welcome to the fellowship of people who solve problems. I can’t wait to see where your career takes you.”
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar made a surprise appearance to congratulate the graduates and encourage them to take an active role in addressing the serious challenges facing the country right now.
“I really appreciate seeing all of you here at a time of great tumult, and the fact that all of you are focused on our country and you believe in public service,” she said. “At a time in our country when we’re seeing an assault on education, you are at a school that gives you the freedom to think and the freedom to learn. You should appreciate that every day and hold up that value.”
She quoted the School’s namesake in challenging the graduates to be the people who aim to solve problems instead of creating them.
“I ask you to remember what Hubert Humphrey once said: ‘If there is dissatisfaction with the status quo, good. If there is ferment, so much the better. If there is restlessness, I am pleased. Then let there be ideas and hard thought and hard work.’ So that’s what’s on your shoulders,” Klobuchar said.
“Our democracy is a hot mess, and it has been for a long time. … There are people every day who are trying to basically commit political arson, trying to blow things up and to create wedges between people. … Your job is to try to get to a solution,” even if a compromise is the best that can be done.
“To be in the class of 2025 at this critical time in our democracy—it is much bigger than any individual sitting here right now. You are holding up the value of education, the value of public service, and you are holding up the very value of the United States of America and our democracy. That’s a lot, so go forward and lead.”
Student speaker Morgan Coleman, a Master of Human Rights graduate, was chosen by her peers to deliver the student address. Coleman is also a poet, and she delivered an emotional piece that spoke of the power of words. Here’s a brief excerpt.
As a poet, I have always wished that I could write the words that would save humanity from itself.
I wish that I could write the words that would ease the pain of each person that I meet. Show them that there are still those who will refuse to let them go unseen.
Or that my words could heal the hearts of those who seek to oppress AND speak to those who feel that their indifference or willful ignorance is best.
Coleman emphasized the values of legacy, purpose, and service, each of which has been instrumental in the graduating students’ experiences at the Humphrey School.
“As many of us and our communities are directly impacted by significant challenges facing our society today, I want to remind each of you that these challenges are not new. While they may look different, these obstacles in our present, and those of our future, have deep roots that we must not ignore. We have always had to become just as creative, if not more so, than the tools designed to facilitate our oppression.
“With that reality in mind, I want to implore you all to use this degree and your Humphrey experience to speak truth to power. Use the connections that you’ve built with your peers, and the knowledge of their personal stories and backgrounds, to advocate for others and amplify their voices. Use every lesson learned, those within and beyond the classroom, to ground yourself in efforts that serve the public good.
“One of the beauties of being at a public affairs institution is knowing that although we may each approach challenges from different angles, or even with different solutions, we are united in the belief that solutions exist. And where there may not be one, we endeavor to create it.
“I see … in each of my fellow graduates a commitment to servant leadership and a desire to elevate the interests and needs of others. This is why we are here. And whether you came to the Humphrey School with that intention or not, I am not asking—but rather demanding—that you leave with that intention today.
“I share all of this with the profound understanding that this degree is political. Our ability to pursue higher education is a political act. For many of us, our very right to be in this room while wearing this regalia is more than political. It is an act of resistance, and an act of the highest order of defiance. We all owe it to ourselves, to our loved ones, to those without the ability to be here in this room, and to the world, to make that mean something.”
Alumni Board President Arnoldo Curiel (MPA ‘07) welcomed the graduates as new alumni.
“Today, you close one chapter and open another—one that is entirely yours to write. Your time at Humphrey has given you more than just knowledge—it has shaped you into critical thinkers, problem solvers, and leaders. You have built lifelong friendships, learned lessons beyond textbooks, and discovered strengths you never knew you had.
“As you step beyond these walls, remember that success is not just measured by titles or accolades. It is defined by impact. It is found in the kindness you show, the courage you embrace, and the persistence to keep going when the road ahead is uncertain.
“And know this: you're never alone. You're now part of a vast network of Humphrey School alumni who once sat where you are, feeling the same anticipation and excitement. Lean on us, learn from us, and one day, be that guiding light for the next generation.”
End-of-year awards
Prior to the commencement ceremony, the Humphrey School hosted an awards brunch to recognize students from each master's degree program for their academic excellence, as well as instructors and teaching assistants for their contributions to the Humphrey School learning community.
See the list of honorees See photos from the awards brunch
