Ceremonies to feature commencement addresses from Rachel Greenberg and Aaron Thompson
Bellarmine University will celebrate its 73rd commencement with ceremonies on Saturday, May 9, at Freedom Hall, recognizing graduates from the summer 2025, fall 2025, and spring 2026 terms.
The university expects to award a total of 836 degrees, including 613 undergraduate and 223 graduate degrees.
The 2 p.m. undergraduate ceremony will feature a commencement address from Dr. Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. The 10 a.m. graduate ceremony will feature Rachel Greenberg, First Lady of Louisville and a Bellarmine graduate, as commencement speaker. Both will receive honorary degrees.
Greenberg, who earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from Bellarmine, is a former public school educator and English-as-a-Second-Language teacher who has dedicated her career to expanding educational opportunity. As First Lady of Louisville, she champions youth literacy, early-grade reading proficiency, and student leadership, working with schools, nonprofits, and community partners across the region. She is the founder of the Youth Ambassadors Leading Louisville (Y’ALL) program and is actively involved in organizations such as Family Scholar House.
Thompson is a nationally recognized leader in higher education and serves as president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, where he works to expand access and improve student success across the commonwealth. A first-generation college graduate from Central Appalachia, he has held roles as a faculty member, provost, and interim university president and is a leading voice on closing equity gaps and strengthening educational outcomes.
Bellarmine’s Class of 2026 will continue a strong tradition of student success. In recent years, 99% of Bellarmine graduates have been employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of commencement, reflecting the university’s commitment to preparing students for meaningful careers and lives of purpose. This outcome is 15% higher than the average for all U.S. colleges.
Degrees expected to be awarded this year include:
- Summer 2025: 87 degrees (33 undergraduate, 54 graduate)
- Fall 2025: 169 degrees (133 undergraduate, 36 graduate)
- Spring 2026: 580 degrees (447 undergraduate, 133 graduate)
As Bellarmine University celebrates its 75th anniversary, commencement offers a moment to reflect on the institution’s legacy of educating students – mind, body, and spirit – for meaningful lives, rewarding careers, and ethical leadership.
Guests are encouraged to arrive early for both ceremonies, as ongoing construction at the fairgrounds has affected parking and traffic patterns around Freedom Hall.
More information about commencement, including ceremony details and livestream access, is available at www.bellarmine.edu/commencement.