The class of 2025: prepared, resilient, and joyful
Graduates, family, friends, and community members gathered on the Beloit College campus on May 11 to celebrate the Class of 2025 during the college’s 175th Commencement.
The weather could not have been better, with clear skies and sunshine as graduates gathered on an immaculately groomed campus to celebrate with family, friends, and community members.
Blue and gold banners two-stories high hung behind the four bright white columns of historic Middle College, as the backdrop for the 175th Commencement at Beloit College. An exuberant crowd, estimated at around 3,000, cheered the graduates as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas from President Eric Boynton.
After the ceremony, amidst the pealing of the bells from Eaton Chapel, the new graduates mingled on the college grounds with their families, professors, and friends, celebrating their accomplishment and enjoying an afternoon in the sun, their first as Beloit College alumni.
Meeting uncertainty with boldness
President Eric Boynton addressed the Class of 2025, noting that they had arrived four years earlier at the end of a global pandemic, and their journey to this moment had been anything but ordinary.
Nonetheless, “You built something remarkable in these past four years,” he told them, “not just a degree, but a deeper understanding of who you are and what you’re capable of. You proved that uncertainty can be met with boldness. That a generation shaped by disruption can still create beauty, meaning, and change. That resilience and joy can coexist.”
Prepared for an uncertain world
In his address, student commencement speaker Abhey Singh Guram ’25, of Punjab, India recalled the class’s arrival at college, ready to question traditions, push boundaries, and start a new chapter.
“And now as that chapter comes to a close,” he said, “we stand here today, transformed.” Abhey, who graduated with a triple major in quantitative economics, political science, and environmental studies, explained, “Beloit didn’t just give us answers — it made us question better. It didn’t hand us certainty — it taught us how to navigate uncertainty with integrity. It didn’t ask us to wait for change — it showed us that we are the ones who must create it.”
He concluded by saying, “We may be stepping into a world that seems uncertain, but we are not stepping into it unprepared.” Abhey, who is passionate about environmental issues, plans to pursue a PhD in environmental economics.
An outstanding student and community member
Jasmin Anna Bowers ’25 of Richmond, Texas received the Martha Peterson Prize, awarded to a senior who best exemplifies the college’s liberal arts traditions through academic achievements and contributions to the campus community.
Jasmin plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health at Syracuse University.
Blue Skies for a bright light on campus
Students erupted in cheers for Rafael (Rafa) Cervantes Jr. ’25 when he was called to the stage to receive the Warren Miller Blue Skies Award.
The Dallas, Texas native — a football team captain, a peer mentor, and a volunteer in the community — “never misses an opportunity to brighten someone’s day or let them know they matter,” said one nominator.
Rafael, who will graduate in December with a major in business management and a minor in sports management, was recognized as a role model and a leader on campus, known for his warmth and a smile that brightened peoples’ days.
The power of intention
By the time commencement speaker Joe Davis ’10 marked his 10-year Beloit College reunion, he had ascended to the highest levels of professional sports broadcasting, succeeding legendary Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully to become the play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers. Davis traced his success in sports broadcasting back to Beloit and reflected on the influence of his professors, coaches, and family.
He missed his own graduation ceremony in 2010, having graduated early to begin his sportscasting career. Upon his return as commencement speaker, with his parents in attendance, he received an honorary degree from the college.
His familiar golden voice boomed out across campus as he talked about the power of intention and the importance of determining what you want, who you are, and where you are going. He encouraged the graduates to “give yourself space to think. The faster life speeds up and the more that we push, the more important it becomes to slow down, and listen.”
He concluded by telling graduates to “dream big, dream crazy — you can achieve whatever you want!”
