Pre-1920s

• 1919: Reverend Dr. Corcoran, Kenrick Seminary³

1920s

• 1920: no public ceremony held¹⁴
• 1921: Rev. F.X. McMenamy, S.J. (Baccalaureate sermon)¹⁰
• 1921: Reverend Corcoran C.M.²
• 1922: Rev. P.P. Crane (Baccalaureate sermon)⁴
• 1922: Rev. M.J. O’Connor, S.J., President of St. Louis University⁴
• 1923: Rev. W.F. Robison, S.J.⁵
• 1924: Rev. Daniel A. Lord, S.J. (Baccalaureate sermon)⁶
• 1924: Rev. F.V. Corcoran, C.M., PH.D.⁷
• 1925: Reverend Martin O’Malley, C.M. (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1926: Reverend Paul J. Ritchie, S.T.L. (Baccalaureate sermon)⁸
• 1926: Reverend Alphonse M. Schwitalla, S.J.⁹
• 1927: Rev. Daniel A. Lord, S.J. (Baccalaureate sermon)¹¹
• 1927: Very Rev. Wm. P. Barr, C.M.V.¹¹
• 1928: Rev. Francis C. Kelley, DD., Bishop of Oklahoma; former president Extension Society¹
• 1929: George F. Zook, Ph.D., President of the University of Akron¹

• 1930: Rev. Russell Wilbur of Notre Dame Parish¹
• 1931: Reverend J. J. Gunn, C.Ss.R. (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1931: Very Rev. Francis V. Corcoran, C.M., president of De Paul University¹
• 1932: Rev. William J. Ryan, S.J. (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1932: Dr. R. Emmet Kane, M.D.¹
• 1933: Very Rev. William M. Magee, S.J. (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1933: Honorable Forrest C. Donnell and Dr. George F. Donovan¹
• 1934: Honorable William L. Igoe, President, Board of Police Commissioners of St. Louis¹
• 1935: Dr. R. Emmet Kane, member, Advisory Board of Webster College¹
• 1936: Rev. Martin J. O’Malley¹
• 1937: Rev. A. M. Keefe, O. Praem¹
• 1938: Rev. Daniel A. Lord, S.J., national organizer of the Sodality of Our Lady and editor of The Queen’s Work (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1938: Robert E. Quinn, Governor of Rhode Island¹
• 1939: Very Rev. Michael J. O’Connell, C.M., president of De Paul University (Baccalaureate sermon)¹

• 1940: Most Rev. Joseph E. Ritter, D.D., Bishop of Indianapolis (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1940: Honorable Francis Parnell Murphy, Governor of New Hampshire¹
• 1941: The Reverend Charles M. O’Hara, S.J., Regent of the St. Louis University School of Education and Social Sciences (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1941: The Reverend Edward B. Rooney, S.J., Executive Director, Jesuit Educational Association
• 1942: Rev. Daniel A. Lord, S.J. A.M., national director of The Sodality of Our Lady and editor of “The Queen’s Work” (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1942: William B. Lytton, M.D., Clinical Director, St. Vincent’s Sanitatrium, St. Louis, Missouri¹
• 1943: Most Rev. Edwin V. O’Hara, Bishop of Kansas City, Missouri¹
• 1944: Dean Clarence Manion of the University of Notre Dame Law School¹
• 1945: Reverend Monsignor Peter J. Dooley, V.F., Archbishop of Dubuque (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1945: Reverend Francis J. L. Beckman, Archbishop of Dubuque (address to graduates)
• 1946: Michael F. Manley, A.M., Instructor in Philosophy (summer commencement ceremony)
• 1947: Reverend Philip J. Le Fevre, C.M., A.M., Instructor in Philosophy (summer commencement ceremony)
• 1948: Reverend Albert R. Zuroweste, D.D., Bishop of Belleville
• 1949: Reverend Gilmore H. Guyot, C.M., Professor of Sacred Scripture at Kenrick Seminary (Mid-term ceremony, Jan. 31, 1949)¹²
• 1949: Reverend Paul A. Woelfl, S.J. (Baccalaureate sermon)¹³
• 1949: Reverend Leo R. Ward, C.S.C., Ph.D., Professor Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

• 1950: Reverend Daniel A. Lord, S.J., A.M. Litt.D., National Organizer of the Sodality of Our Lady
• 1951: Mr. Raymond R. Tucker, Director of Civil Defense for St. Louis
• 1952: Reverend George J. Gottwald (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1953: Reverend Elmer H. Behrmann (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1953: Dr. Thomas A. Brady, vice-president of the University of Missouri¹
• 1954: Reverend Nicholas Persich, C.M. (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1954: Reverend John Bonn, S.J., Professor, Fairfield University Graduate School
• 1955: Reverend Francis J. Matthews (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1955: Reverend Walter J. Ong, S.J.¹
• 1956: Reverend Columba Cary-Elwes, O.S.B., Superior, Saint Louis Priory1
• 1957: Reverend Robert F. Coerver, C.M., of Kenrick Seminary (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1957: Dr. Gabriel L. Rapatz, University of Wisconsin, former head of Webster biology department ¹
• 1958: Reverend Monsignor Leonard A. Bauer (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1958: H.W. Schooling, Ph.D., Superintendent of Webster Groves Schools
• 1959: Reverend Thomas C. Glynn (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1959: J. Wesley McAfee, President of Union Electric Company

• 1960: Reverend Monsignor Joseph H. Huels (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1960: Reverend Trafford Patrick Maher, S.J., Ph.D., Director of Dep. of Education, Saint Louis University
• 1961: Very Reverend Gerard N. Glynn (Baccalaureate sermon)¹
• 1961: Dr. Robert E. Christin, Department of English, Notre Dame University¹
• 1962: Reverend William J. Cole (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1962: Dr. Francis V. Lloyd, Superintendent of Clayton Public Schools System
• 1963: Reverend James J. Haggerty
• 1963: Dr. Vernon R. Alden, President, Ohio University
• 1964: Elizabeth Paschal, Associate Program Director, Education Division, The Ford Foundation
• 1964: Reverend Vincent J. O’Flaherty, S.J. (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1965: Reverend Donald E. Damhorst, Ph.D. (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1965: Dr. Bennetta B. Washington, Director, Women’s Job Corps Centers
• 1966: Reverend John W. Padberg, S.J., S.T.L., Ph.D. (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1966: Sister M. Francetta Barberis, President Emeritus of Webster College, Special Consultant to the Director, Women’s Job Corps Centers
• 1967: Dr. Carl E. Pitts (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1967: Reverend Daniel Berrigan, author and poet
• 1968: Reverend George L. Cadigan, D.D. Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern Missouri (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1968: Mr. Harris Wofford, President, State University of New York
• 1969: Dr. Walter A. Brueggemann, Eden Theological Seminary (Baccalaureate sermon)
• 1969: Mrs. Philip A. Hart

• 1970: John C. Danforth, Attorney General, State of Missouri
• 1971: Dr. Leigh Gerdine, President, Webster College
• 1971 (July): Arthur L. Mallory
• 1972: Art Buchwald
• 1973: Dr. Vary T. Coates
• 1973 (July): Gene L. Schwilck
• 1974: Dr. Daniel Bell
• 1974 (July): Kathryn Nelson
• 1975: Marsha Mason, actress ‘64
• 1975 (July): James Stone
• 1976: Dr. Joseph P. Kelly, Vice-President, Webster College
• 1976 (July): Robert E. Wentz, Superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools
• 1977: Lesley Stahl, journalist
• 1977 (July): Francis Gamelin
• 1978: Rollo May
• 1978 (July): Barbara Uehling, Chancellor, University of Missouri-Columbia
• 1979: Margaret Bush Wilson, attorney and Chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors
• 1979 (July): James O’Flynn, president of the St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association

• 1980: Clifford M. Hardin, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
• 1980 (July): Ernest Boyer
• 1981: John W. Hanley, Chairman of Monsanto Co.
• 1981 (July): William L. Hungate
• 1982: Peter Davis, television producer and author
• 1982 (July): Arthur Mallory, Commissioner of Education for Missouri
• 1983: Douglas Edwards, broadcast journalist
• 1983 (second May ceremony): George H. Walker III, Chief Executive Officer, Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc.
• 1983 (July): Adelaide Dorsey Tomber, member of the Coordinating Board for Higher Education
• 1984: Dr. Raoul F. Kneucker
• 1984 (July): Jeff Greenfield, television news analyst and syndicated political columnist
• 1985: Sandi Freeman
• 1986: Henry Cisneros, Mayor, San Antonio, Texas
• 1987: Brian P. Lamb, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, C-SPAN, America’s Network
• 1988: Ambassador Alan Woods, Administrator, Agency for International Development
• 1989: Marion G. Cairns, Member, Missouri General Assembly, 97th Legislative District

• 1990: Dr. Leigh Gerdine, President, Webster University
• 1991: Senator Thomas F. Eagleton
• 1992: William H. Donaldson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, New York Stock Exchange
• 1993: Richard Gephardt, U.S. Congressman – Third District of Missouri (Anatoly Sobchak, Mayor of Saint Petersburg, Russia, was originally scheduled to give the address but had to cancel.)
• 1994: Jack Buck, Sports Director, KMOX/CBS Radio
• 1995: President Richard S. Meyers, Webster University
• 1996: Lieutenant Colonel Eileen M. Collins, NASA Astronaut and Space Shuttle Pilot
• 1997: Marsha Mason, actress ‘64
• 1998: Richard A. Liddy
• 1999: President George H. W. Bush

• 2000: James Buford, President and CEO, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
• 2001: James W. Symington, Former U.S. Congressman from Missouri and White House Official
• 2002: Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., Vice Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Bob Costas, Sportscaster, NBC (2 speakers)
• 2003: Captain D. Michael Abrashoff, CEO of Grassroots Leadership, Inc.
• 2004: Paul M. Kennedy, J. Richardson Dilworth professor of History and director of International Security Studies at Yale University; George Herbert Walker III (2 speakers)
• 2005: Consuelo Uribe Wise Gallagher, Webster U. faculty emeritus; Jerry Mitchell, choreographer; Marylen Mann, Chairman of OASIS Institute (3 speakers)
• 2006: Mayor Francis G. Slay, City of St. Louis
• 2007: Nancy Pelosi, Speaker, United States House of Representatives
• 2008: J. Robert Kerrey, President, The New School
• 2009: Rocky Carroll, actor, ’85

• 2010: Lt. Col. Gregory D. Gadson, ’01
• 2011: Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond
• 2012: Anne W. Patterson, U.S. Ambassador to Egypt
• 2013: Norbert Leo Butz, actor '90
• 2014: Koko Tanimoto Kondo, Hiroshima survivor and peace activist
• 2015: Jenifer Lewis, actress '79
• 2016: Jim Weddle, CEO, Edward Jones
• 2017: Gen. Paul J. Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• 2018: Michael P. McMillan, head of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
• 2019: Katy Sullivan, actress, producer, writer, athlete '02

• 2020: Vladimir Ivkovic, neuroscientist, '99
• 2021: Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic athlete and medalist
• 2022: Dr. Djibril Diallo, president and CEO of the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN)
• 2023: Matthew Vogel, actor and muppeteer, '93

Unless noted otherwise, speakers' names were gathered from Commencement programs.

¹ For these years, speakers' names were found in the student newspaper.

² Mowrey, Blanche. (1934). History of Webster (Loretto) College for the year September 1920 to September 1921. Unpublished manuscript, Webster University Archives.

³ Finnegan, Sr. Mary Edward. (1939). The history of the Webster College musical activities for scholastic years from September 1, 1916, to September 1, 1935. Unpublished manuscript, Webster University Archives.

⁴ Fallon, Dolores G. (1935). History of Webster (Loretto) College for the year September 1921 to September 1922. Unpublished manuscript, Webster University Archives.

⁵ Robison, Very Rev. W.F., S.J. (1923, June). Commencement address. The Lorettine, XVII(4), 329-334.

⁶ Lord, Rev. Daniel A., S.J. (1924, November). Baccalaureate sermon. The Lorettine, XVIII(4), 260-272.

⁷ Corcoran, Rev. F.V., C.M. (1924, November). Graduation address. The Lorettine, XVIII(4), 273-280.

⁸ Ritchie, Reverend Paul J., S.T.L. (1926, June). Baccalaureate sermon. The Lorettine, XX(4), 217-223.

⁹ Schwitalla, Reverend Alphonse M., S.J. (1926, June). Graduation address: The dangers of a college education. The Lorettine, XX(4), 223-228.

¹⁰ The Lorettine, XVI(2), August 1921, p. 3.

¹¹ The Lorettine, XXI(4), June 1927, p. 328.

¹² The Web, 25(5), Feb. 18, 1949, p. 1.

¹³ The Web, 25(8), June 4, 1949, p. 1.

¹⁴ According to a student thesis written in the 1930s, the only graduates in 1920 were two nuns so the college decided not to have a public ceremony. A private dinner was held instead. (Bersch, Verda. (1934). History of Webster (Loretto) College for the school year Sept. 1, 1919, to Sept. 1, 1920. Unpublished manuscript, Webster College.)