Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is set to deliver the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s Commencement address for the Class of 2026.
According to the April 6 announcement, the ceremony will take place on May 18 at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. Shapiro — who also serves as an ex officio member of the University Board of Trustees — is currently running for reelection in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race.
Nearly 400 students are expected to graduate across the school’s law programs.
Penn Carey Law Dean Sophia Lee wrote that the school is “honored” to welcome Shapiro as its Commencement speaker in the announcement.
“His distinguished career and unwavering commitment to public service exemplify the leadership and civic responsibility we hope our graduates will carry with them as they begin their own professional journeys,” she added.
Shapiro — who has served as Pennsylvania’s governor since 2023 — was previously also the state’s attorney general, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, and a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
“Now more than ever, we need leaders willing to pick up the baton and carry it forward – and I believe the Penn Carey Law Class of 2026 can provide that leadership,” Shapiro wrote in the announcement. “Whether it’s holding criminals accountable, standing up for victims, or ensuring Pennsylvanians have access to adequate counsel, I look forward to seeing how these graduates will change the world and serve our communities.”
Over the past few years, Shapiro’s office has played a significant role in Penn’s response to campus antisemitism.
In fall 2023, Shapiro invoked a long-unused University statute that allows the governor of Pennsylvania to appoint a nonvoting observer to the Board of Trustees. He selected 1982 College graduate Robert Fox, whom he also appointed as a nonvoting member on the University Task Force on Antisemitism.
Documents showed that Shapiro and Fox pushed for the firing of one University professor and the public condemnation of another. The two embraced an expansive definition of “antisemitic speech,” and intervened in the University’s January 2024 election for the chair of the Board of Trustees.
Shapiro — who grew up in Montgomery County — earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester and a law degree from Georgetown University.
Third-year Penn Carey Law student Emma Kopp, who also serves as president of Penn Carey Law’s J.D. Class of 2026, wrote that Shapiro was a popular choice among surveyed students.
“As a lifelong public servant, Gov. Shapiro’s multifaceted legal career exemplifies humble servant leadership—a core tenet of a Penn Carey Law education,” Kopp wrote in the announcement. “One of the most popular Pennsylvania governors of all time, Gov. Shapiro has brought meaningful change to the lives of his constituents.”
Shapiro will follow 1983 Wharton School MBA graduate and former New Jersey Gov. Philip Murphy, who delivered Penn Carey Law’s Commencement address last year.
United States Presidential Scholar and best-selling author Michael Beschloss is set to speak at Penn’s undergraduate commencement for the Class of 2026. Goldman Sachs Chair and CEO David Solomon will deliver this year’s Wharton MBA address.
“Moreover, he is a proud Philadelphian," Kopp added. "We are excited to welcome him back home to celebrate this important milestone with us."
Staff reporter Luke Petersen covers national politics and can be reached at petersen@thedp.com. At Penn, he studies philosophy, politics, and economics. Follow him on X @LukePetersen06.
Senior reporter Ananya Karthik covers central administration and can be reached at karthik@thedp.com. At Penn, she studies communication and economics. Follow her on X @ananyaakarthik.
