Hofstra University has announced its commencement speakers for its spring graduation on Sunday, May 19. The day will feature three separate ceremonies, and more than 1,700 undergraduate and graduate students are scheduled to receive their degrees.
Vanessa Baird-Streeter, president and CEO of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI), will speak at the 9 a.m. undergraduate ceremony. Margaret Hoover, host of Firing Line with Margaret Hoover on PBS, will speak at the 1 p.m. undergraduate ceremony. Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of the Science family of journals, will address the graduate class at 5 p.m. and receive an honorary degree.
The ceremonies will be held at Hofstra’s David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, on the North Campus. Tickets are required, and a livestream of each ceremony will be available.
“Hofstra’s spring commencement speakers are a diverse group of exceptional leaders whose careers and commitment to service exemplify what is possible for the graduating students,” Susan Poser, president of Hofstra University, said in a news release about the commencement. “We look forward to celebrating with these distinguished guests, our graduates, and their loved ones.”
Baird-Streeter oversees HWCLI, a network of nonprofit agencies, individuals and corporations addressing the region’s challenges. She previously spent 12-plus years in Suffolk County government, most recently as deputy county executive. While her early career was in the financial industry, her background includes director of the Ministry to Catholics of African Ancestry for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, director of communications for the Town of Babylon, and executive director of communications for the Long Island Power Authority. She serves as the director of the Venettes Cultural Workshop Inc., a performing arts company that provides technical training and academic motivation through the arts. Through her involvement over the past 20 years, the Venettes has awarded over $500,000 in student scholarships. Baird-Streeter graduated from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Education.
As host of Firing Line, Hoover has revived the television series that for 33 years was hosted by William F. Buckley. A best-selling author, strategist, and political commentator, Hoover served on the White House staff of President George W. Bush, Capitol Hill and two presidential campaigns. In 2013, Hoover co-founded American Unity Fund, a political organization that focuses on achieving full freedom and equality for LGBTQ+ Americans by working with conservatives. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, The Daily Beast, CNN.com and FoxNews.com. Hoover serves on the board of overseers for Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and on the board of trustees for the Hoover Presidential Foundation. She recently visited Hofstra University when PBS’s Firing Line With Margaret Hoover recorded two programs at The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication. Hoover holds a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College.
Thorp joined the Science journals in 2019, after serving as provost at Washington University, where he is a professor. He previously spent three decades at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, serving as the 10th chancellor. He co-founded Viamet Pharmaceuticals, is a venture partner at Hatteras Venture Partners, and serves on the board of directors at PBS, the College Advising Corps, and Saint Louis University. He serves on the scientific advisory boards of the Yale School of Medicine and the UL Research Institutes. He is co-author of two books on higher education: The Entrepreneurial University in the Twenty-First Century and Our Higher Calling: Rebuilding the Partnership Between America and its Colleges and Universities. In 2024, STAT News named Thorp to its STATUS list of the 50 top leaders in medicine in the US. Thorp holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from UNC and a PhD in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology. He completed postdoctoral work at Yale University; received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from North Carolina Wesleyan College; and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell is holding its commencement on May 13, at 2 p.m., with Dr. David J. Skorton, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, as the commencement speaker. Hofstra’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law is holding its commencement on May 20, at 7 p.m., with Bruce Jackson delivering the commencement address, and receiving an honorary degree.
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