Your ultimate achievement is the good you do in the world.
That was the message that award-winning actress and Fordham alumna Regina Hall delivered to graduates at Fordham’s 180th commencement ceremony on Saturday. (See stories, photos, and video about the Class of 2025.)
“Success is not merely measured by money or things … Those things must be accompanied by the kindness and compassion in your heart,” Hall told the crowd of nearly 25,000 gathered on Edwards Parade to celebrate the Class of 2025, the largest in the University’s history.
The graduates from each of Fordham’s schools filed down the aisle decked out in cap and gown with colorful stoles representing their colleges and affinity groups. Some wore yellow ribbons to indicate their status as veterans; Fordham conferred degrees upon 85 veterans and their dependents at the ceremony.
After a light sprinkling, the skies cleared and Hall took the stage. The actress—who graduated from Fordham in 1992 with a degree in English—is known for her roles in the Scary Movie franchise, the Best Man series, Insecure, Black-ish, and more. She reminisced warmly about her time at Fordham and the lifelong friendships she made here, including a few members of the “Fordham Ramily” who were watching from the audience.
“Within the walls of Fordham University, we were always being instilled with the Jesuit principles and philosophies. The belief that God is present in every aspect of life—in nature, in relationships, and in work. And the belief in justice, equality, and the call for excellence,” Hall said.
The comedic actress also didn’t fail to entertain, peppering the speech with funny memories of her Fordham days.
“There were no cell phones, just a pay phone in the hallway that we shared. That’s where I acquired the nickname ‘phone hog,’” Hall said. “I’m grateful for so many beautiful memories and so much joy and fun, but what I’m most grateful for is that there were no camera phones back then. I can’t say more than that as the Jesuits are present.”
A Warm Welcome Home
In recognition of her outstanding career and the ways she’s used her platform to advocate for others, Hall received an honorary doctorate of fine arts at the ceremony. The day’s other honorary degree recipients were Donna Carroll, Ph.D., president emerita of Dominican University and president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, and Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president emeritus of Fordham.
“It’s a very personal moment for me because like many of you, I’m from a Fordham family,” said Carroll, a former member of Fordham’s Board of Trustees and current trustee fellow. She shared that her great-grandfather had been a trustee and her uncle had attended the University. “Fordham for me is home. … It’s a great tribute to my family that I stand here today,” she said.
For Father McShane, the honor was also a homecoming. As the 32nd president of Fordham, he led the University through a period of unprecedented growth while broadening academic excellence and diversity. Remembered warmly for his incredible ability to connect on a personal level with every member of the Fordham community, he was greeted with cheers and applause as he accepted his honorary degree.
Father McShane gave a heartfelt thanks to the Class of 2025 for welcoming him into their ranks, and urged them to use their Fordham foundation to become the people they were meant to be. “I want you always, always to be men and women of character, competence, compassion, and a deep commitment to the cause of the human family. That is your legacy,” Father McShane said, his voice thick with emotion.
‘A Certified Slay’
In a light-hearted moment, President Tania Tetlow congratulated the Class of 2025 in a language they could all understand—Gen Z.
“I asked my 13-year-old to write this next part for me, though she won’t tell me what it means,” Tetlow said. “Class of ’25, you understood the assignment. You ate, no crumbs … This diploma? A certified slay. Your group projects? Low-key traumatic. Your resilience? High-key iconic. And this moment? It’s giving main character energy.”
Tetlow—the University’s first woman president and its first lay leader—encouraged the graduates to carry their education and their gifts into the world with purpose and integrity.
“You came to Fordham with blazing talent, each of you blessed by abundant gifts from God. But—and this may be a rare thing to say at commencement—those gifts do not make you better than anyone else. … What makes you special is how you use your gifts to matter to the world,” Tetlow said.
This May, Fordham conferred degrees upon 3,763 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral graduates across all of its schools. In total, the University is expected to confer around 5,805 academic degrees in 2025, including those who graduated in August 2024 and February 2025, and those who are expected to graduate this coming August. The 2025 graduates hail from 62 countries and almost every state, and range in age from 20 to 82.
