Hilary Swank, the two-time Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actress and producer, will deliver the keynote address at Chapman University’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 23, on the university’s Wilson Field at 7 p.m.
Chapman University’s 2025 Commencement Weekend will take place May 23-25, honoring more than 2,600 graduates, including 750 earning advanced degrees across the university’s 11 schools and colleges. This year’s ceremony also marks a historic moment for Chapman – a nationally ranked comprehensive university with top programs in film, business, the health sciences and more – as it will feature the final Commencement address from President Daniele C. Struppa. President Struppa is retiring from the presidency in September and returning to the mathematics faculty after 19 years of leadership at Chapman.
Struppa will share the stage with Swank, who is known for her powerful and transformational roles. She rose to prominence in 1999 with her Oscar-winning portrayal in Boys Don’t Cry and then earned a second Academy Award in 2004 for her role in Million Dollar Baby. Swank is celebrated for her emotional depth, physical commitment to roles, and strong presence in both independent films and major studio productions.
Off camera, Swank is an advocate for various social causes and uses her voice to amplify underserved and under-represented groups. She believes in empowering youth and has built a charity, The Hilaroo Foundation, with a vision to connect abandoned animals with foster children and give them both the tools they need to thrive.
“Hilary Swank embodies the resilience, integrity and transformative spirit we strive to instill in our students,” said Struppa. “Her extraordinary career, dedication to meaningful storytelling, and commitment to making the world a better place make her an ideal voice to inspire our graduates as they step into the next chapter of their lives. I am immensely proud of our graduating students and the members of our campus community who educated and helped to shape their educational and career paths.”
During the ceremony, Swank will be awarded an honorary Doctor of the Arts degree (honoris causa) in recognition of her contributions to the arts and community. This won’t be Swank’s first visit to campus as she previously visited in May 2017 to support her niece, Eleni Swank (née Watts), who graduated magna cum laude and with additional honors from the Dale E. Fowler School of Law.
Swank joins an esteemed list of past Chapman commencement speakers that include comedian, actor, writer and director Bill Hader, award winning actress, director and executive producer Angela Bassett and Nobel Peace Laureate Nadia Murad. With the No. 4 film school in the country, Chapman frequently attracts top talent in the entertainment industry to its Orange campus.
