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St. Olaf College celebrated the Class of 2025 with a commencement ceremony on the picturesque lawn in front of Mellby Hall on Saturday, May 24.

“Class of 2025, this is your day, your moment. Commencement is all about you,” St. Olaf President Susan Rundell Singer said as she welcomed the graduates and their families and supporters to the ceremony.

“You are well-prepared for your launch into the world of work or graduate studies. And you have gained much more from your time learning at St. Olaf. You are civically prepared to contribute to our democratic society, and you approach others and new situations with curiosity, courage, inclusion, and grace. You start by respecting the humanity in everyone,” she told the graduates. 

That ability to learn from and with others to seek solutions is how Oles make a meaningful difference in the word, she noted. “It is your generosity of spirit, care for your neighbor, and commitment to the common good, combined with your keen minds, exceptional problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning, that promises a bright tomorrow for all of us,” Rundell Singer said.

“It is your generosity of spirit, care for your neighbor, and commitment to the common good, combined with your keen minds, exceptional problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning, that promises a bright tomorrow for all of us.”

— President Susan Rundell Singer

Emily King-Nobles ’25, a social work major with a concentration in race and ethnic studies, then delivered the commencement address. She encouraged her fellow graduates to live a life on purpose for the common good. To do that, she noted, they could draw inspiration from one of the most iconic features of the St. Olaf campus: the Adirondack chair. 

“As these yellow chairs return to the Quad every spring, we see friends gather, smiles return, and the hope of a summer soon to arrive,” she said. She pointed out that when Thomas Lee created the Adirondack chair in 1903, he knew it had to be sturdy, comfortable, and weather-resistant. The resulting design became immensely popular and spread around the world.

King-Nobles noted that the elements of the Adirondack chair that have made it so popular also perfectly illustrate several important pieces of wisdom: life is better together, rest will ground you for the road ahead, it’s important to live a life of refuge for weary travelers, and you are stronger than you think — and can withstand the storms and unpredictable weather of life.

“My fellow members of the Class of 2025, the world awaits with a desperate hunger to experience your gift,” she said. “As you prepare to embark on your next great adventure, I invite you to pause for just a moment. Look around. Breathe in the fresh air and smile at the person beside you. This will always be your home. When the weight of the world feels heavy, I encourage you: seek out that familiar Adirondack chair, and let it lead you back to where you belong.” 

“My fellow members of the Class of 2025, the world awaits with a desperate hunger to experience your gift.”

— Emily King-Nobles ’25

In addition to the commencement ceremony, the graduating class celebrated with several other events throughout the weekend, including the Baccalaureate Service; the Campus Illumination Ceremony and Lighting; the Commencement Weekend Concert featuring the musical talents of the St. Olaf Band, St. Olaf Choir, and St. Olaf Orchestra; and the Last Lecture and Parting Words featuring remarks by Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology and Director of Public Health Studies Andrea Conger ’98 and Director of Facilities Kevin Larson.

Additional information about each of these events — and more — can be found on the Commencement web page.