The College of Arts and Sciences announced the College’s 2026 graduation speakers last week.
1995 College graduate Nancy Cordes and College senior Noah Milad are set to speak at the May 17 ceremony — which will be held at Franklin Field. Cordes is the current chief White House Correspondent for CBS News, and Milad is the president of Penn Traditions and student chair of the Penn Alumni Relations Board.
In an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian, Milad expressed that the College has led to him “discovering something” that he is “very passionate about” — in reference to his interest in space policy.
Milad, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science, will pursue a master’s degree in democracy and governance at Georgetown University this fall.
Penn and the College have “changed who I am in every aspect,” Milad told the DP.
“Coming into Penn, I was very clueless on what I wanted to do as a career.” he added. “I would say the College allowed me to explore different opportunities, pathways, and things I didn't even know were possible.”
Milad told the DP that he “invested almost all four years” of his undergraduate experience in Penn Traditions, which enabled him to “find a community” at Penn. Milad explained that he “didn’t adapt very well” during his first year at the University, encouraging him to guide and support others.
During his time at Penn, Milad was selected for multiple fellowships and awards — including with the Penn Institute for Urban Research and the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. He has also been involved with organizing New Student Orientation, Homecoming, and Alumni Weekend.
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He expressed excitement for the future when he can return to Penn “with a view and a refreshed lens” as an alumnus, given that he has “worked so much with alumni relations in the past.”
Cordes graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Penn. After leaving the University, she pursued a master’s in public policy at Princeton University.
Since then, Cordes has returned to Penn for several events related to her work on presidential elections. She delivered the 2015 Annenberg Lecture about the many unanticipated moments in career, and gave a talk at the Kelly Writer’s House about her experience reporting on the 2008 presidential election. On Friday, Cordes will join Penn students at a College Alumni Mentoring Series meal.
Her career trajectory brought her to CBS News in 2007 after working at agencies including ABC News, NewsOne, and WJLA-TV. At CBS, she has served as chief congressional correspondent for 12 years, reporting on topics including presidential elections, COVID-19 relief, and Supreme Court confirmations.
Cordes has won several awards while on the White House beat — including an Emmy Award and an American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award in 2023 for breaking news coverage following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Last year, the school selected James S. Riepe University professor Michael Platt and 2025 College graduate Anthony Wong to be the graduation speakers.
