Often beginning more than a year in advance, the meticulous planning for finding a commencement speaker is what often helps make the speech the highlight of students’ and families’ graduation experience.
The quality of this year’s speaker is no different, with the University announcing that Jeannine Shao Collins ’86 will be delivering the school’s 176th commencement address May 15.
Collins, who serves as the chief client officer at multiplatform advertising and media company Kargo, has had a long respected career in the media and advertising industry.
Having earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from URochester, Collins has also received many awards and distinctions over her career, including the designation of being a “Top Woman in Media 2025” by AdMonsters and AdExchanger, according to a University press release.
Collins has remained engaged with the University, especially through entrepreneurship initiatives. In recent years, she has visited campus where she met with students and was invited to be a keynote speaker as part of the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship’s Global Entrepreneurship Week. The week serves as “an opportunity for a region-wide celebration of the people, programs and partnerships building our local economy.”
“Jeannine Shao Collins is an inspiring example of someone who has enriched the lives of others through her actions, her words, and the way she engages with those around her,” University spokesperson Sara Miller said when asked why Collins was chosen. “Her story should inspire our newest graduates to pursue their own passions while embodying the drive to make the world ever better, as she has done.”
Picking a commencement speaker is no small task and is one that carries serious consideration: “We are looking for someone who has a personal connection to the University [and] has personal and professional experiences that are relatable to URochester graduates,” Miller said. “[Someone who] is respected within their professional community, is an engaging speaker, and will deliver a hopeful and inspiring message.”
The selection process originally had been concentrated to just a few months, but Miller explained that planning farther ahead yields better results and helps mitigate the logistical challenges that might crop up regarding the speaker’s availability.
Ultimately, the speaker is selected by the University’s president, whose decision is based on feedback from various individuals who interacted with the potential speakers.
Starting two years ago, student feedback has become part of the consideration. Each year, the speaker is presented via a focus group to the River Campus Senior Class Council prior to the final selection, according to Miller.
