Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and one of the nation’s highest-ranking military leaders, will return to his alma mater on May 16, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. to address the Class of 2025 graduates.
In a sit-down conversation with University President Rev. Peter M. Donahue, O.S.A., Ph.D., The Villanovan was the first to receive this news and deliver it to the community on April 25.
Admiral Paparo, a graduate of Villanova’s Class of 1987, has enjoyed a distinguished career in the Navy, rising to become the Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, overseeing one of the most strategically important regions in the world. His achievements and Villanova roots make him an inspirational speaker for the Class of 2025.
The search for this year’s commencement speaker was solidified last fall. While the search typically is long and difficult, this year’s speaker came from a casual conversation at a Villanova event, according to Fr. Peter.
A unique aspect of this year’s choice is that Admiral Paparo will have the chance to address the Class of 2025, which includes his daughter. Fr. Peter referred to this as an “interesting sideline to the whole thing.”
Admiral Paparo’s daughter, Elizabeth, shared what this experience means to her.
“I’m very excited to hear him speak and to receive my degree on the same stage as him,” she said. “He and my mom have taken their Villanova education very far and taught me the value of an education and strong character, so I think he will have many words of wisdom for our class.”
The reaction from the Class of 2025 is mixed.
“Personally my dream pick was Jason Kelce, but Admiral Paparo should be a good speaker,” said senior Katie Stump.
One graduating senior expressed hesitation about the choice of commencement speaker, citing concerns about a military figure addressing the class during such a pivotal moment.
“I wasn’t super impressed by it,” graduating senior AK Asalu said. “I get that he was an alumnus of Villanova, and he was in the military and Navy, he’s an admiral now and that is all very impressive. But I feel like in the current context that our country’s in, specifically with the matters we deal with abroad which are carried out by [the US Navy], I personally don’t feel great about having somebody from the U.S. military coming to speak at our graduation.”
For this student, the discomfort goes beyond the individual and stems from what they perceive as an endorsement of the larger institution the speaker represents.
“Seeing somebody who’s representative of that whole system, obviously, it’s not just him,”Asalu said. “Like, it’s an institutional thing—having them come on campus addressing a commencement.”
Others, like senior Villanova Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NROTC) 1st Class Midshipman and Whiskey Company Commander, Emma Shores, are honored to have a speaker as accomplished as Admiral Paparo.
“For any of my classmates who are not familiar with the Naval chain of command, Admiral Paparo holds the highest rank in the U.S. Navy as a 4 Star Admiral,” Shores said. “The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command includes 380,000 soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen and Department of Defense civilians. Admiral Paparo is responsible for all U.S. military activities in the Indo-Pacific, covering 36 nations, 14 time zones and 60 percent of the world’s population.”
She reflected on the perspective and wisdom she believes the speech will bring.
“I have seen first hand the impact a speech from Admiral Paparo has, and I cannot wait for you to experience it with me, hand in hand, as we walk across the stage this May.”
Fr. Peter acknowledged that speaker choices often spark criticism.
“Oh, you know, there is never a year that I’ve had this job, that they haven’t, somebody hasn’t criticized somebody that we’ve chosen as a speaker,” he said. “There’s always people that don’t feel it’s good enough or not the rightperson or isn’t famous enough…so over the years I’ve learned to accept that people don’t always agree on things.”
Still, he stood by the selection, adding that Paparo’s past messages to students have urged them to use their abilities for the good of others and do something meaningful with what they’ve learned.
“I’ve heard him speak before,” Fr. Peter said. “He spoke to the NROTC class when he was here, and his message [to] them [was] to really, you know, know what your abilities are and use those abilities for the good of others. To really be a force that transforms people and uses your education to really be a beacon of hope for other people.”
As the world experiences increasing challenges, the Class of 2025 is entering a moment of both personal and collective responsibility, and their education at Villanova has equipped them with the tools to tackle these issues.
In the face of growing skepticism about the role of higher education, Fr. Peter expressed hope that the Class of 2025 will serve as proof of its enduring impact.
“I would hope that the people that are graduating this year will go out of here and show people that there is value in being educated, and there’s a value in going to a school of higher education,” Fr. Peter said.
Fr. Peter’s message to the graduates focused on the importance of growth through new experiences and the value of learning from others. He encouraged the Class of 2025 to not shy away from change or new ideas, stressing that their journey was only just beginning.
“Ideas come, new ideas come, and we shouldn’t be afraid of new ideas,” Fr. Peter said. “We shouldn’t be afraid of new knowledge, and we shouldn’t be afraid of new, new experiences. And I would hope that our graduates will go out into the world and demonstrate [that].”
