Julia Garrison
News Editor
In a memo sent to the campus community, President Anne McCall announced the commencement lineup, which will include two student speakers.
Meskerem Brhane ’89 will give the commencement address at the ceremony, slated for May 17 at 10 a.m. in the Scot Center. Brhane has held multiple positions supporting sustainability and urban development in the Middle East, East Asia, South Asia and Africa. Currently, she is the regional director for the Planet Department in the Middle East and North Africa region at the World Bank. A major in English and French at Wooster, Brhane received a Fulbright Fellowship after graduating from Wooster and taught English in Paris. She later received her doctorate in political science from The University of Chicago.
Two student speakers, Rayan Dos Passos ’25 and Karmellah Buttler ’25, were chosen based on academic performance and nominations from the class of 2025.
Dos Passos is a global and international studies and Spanish major. At Wooster, Dos Passos served as a residential assistant, class representative, ARCH leader and admissions tour guide. He has also participated in a number of extracurriculars during his time at Wooster, including Model United Nations, club soccer, Latinas Unidas and the Jenny Investment Club. He intends to attend graduate school for international economics or global development.
Buttler is a physics major, a STEM Zone intern and has served as a research assistant in both earth sciences and physics. Buttler co-authored a study with Laura DeGroot, assistant professor of physics. Outside of the classroom, she is involved with A Round of Monkeys a capella club, astronomy club and physics club. After Wooster, Buttler intends to attend a graduate program in atmospheric science after a gap year.
Sam Peppers ’25 will provide the invocation, and the Rev. Matthew E. Davis will provide the benediction. The Rev. Davis serves as pastor of the Mendocino Presbyterian Church in Mendocino, California. Davis is also a parent of Wooster graduates in the classes of 2024 and 2025.
The ceremony will also feature a rendition of “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked,” sung by Brianna Swinford ’25, psychology major and music minor. More information about commencement can be found at wooster.edu/commencement.
