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Celebrating the St. Olaf College Class of 2024

Members of the Class of 2024 gather on the Campus Green during their early months on campus to form their graduation year.
Members of the Class of 2024 gather on the Campus Green during their early months on campus to form their graduation year.

St. Olaf College will celebrate the Class of 2024 with a commencement ceremony on the Campus Green on Saturday, May 25.

President Susan Rundell Singer, who is just completing her first academic year leading the college, will preside over the ceremony.

The Class of 2024 senior commencement address will be delivered by Miriam Clapp ’24, a quantitative economics and Chinese major from Chicago.

The commencement ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. and will be streamed and archived online. Leading up to the commencement ceremony, the graduating class will have the opportunity for celebration and reflection at several other events throughout the weekend.

The Last Lecture and Parting Words will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 23 in Boe Memorial Chapel. Associate Professor of Religion Jason Ripley and Director of Student Activities Brandon Cash ’16 will deliver the remarks.

The Commencement Weekend Concert will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 24, in Skoglund Auditorium. This combined concert provides an opportunity to celebrate the musical talents of the St. Olaf Band, St. Olaf Choir, and St. Olaf Orchestra, as well as the graduating seniors in those ensembles. 

The Campus Illumination Ceremony and Lighting will take place at 9 p.m. on Friday, May 24, on the Campus Green. Graduating students are welcome to bring guests. This ceremony honors the graduates as they transition from life as a student to becoming a member of the St. Olaf alumni community. Each member of the Class of 2024 will light their personalized lantern during the ceremony and illuminate the Campus Green. At the end of the evening, students may take their lantern home as a remembrance of their time on the Hill.

The Baccalaureate Service will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 25, in Skoglund Auditorium. Graduating students and their guests are invited to gather to worship and give thanks for the life and the community that was shared by the Class of 2024.

More information about each of these events — and more — can be found on the Commencement web page.

As St. Olaf seniors enjoyed their last weeks on campus, they shared some of their favorite memories from their time on the Hill. Read a few reflections from the Class of 2024 below.

“The close relationships I developed with all the students in my nursing class and the amazing clinical experiences we had!” — Olivia Lansing  ’24 | Nursing


“My favorite memory is being a part of the Veselica (veh-SELL-eetsah) dance ensemble all four years!” — Sugey Romero Sagrero ’24 | Psychology with a Concentration in Family Studies


“Being able to serve the St. Olaf campus community as an EMT to provide emergency care to students, staff, faculty, and visitors when they are in a time of need.” — Ethan Beltrand ’24 | Kinesiology and Pre-Med


“Making music with some of my best friends — and finding my passion through that music making.” — Veronica White ’24 | Music with a Concentration in Management Studies


“Sledding for the first time in my life down the iconic Old Main Hill left me with stitches in my sides from giggling so freely and an exhaustion in my body that can only come from time well spent with the best of friends.” — Mia Poletti ’24 | French with a Concentration in Environmental Studies


“Running around Regents Hall sharing leftover liquid nitrogen ice cream with professors with holiday music playing!” — Melanie Roberts ’24 | Chemistry


“Winning the national championship in men’s soccer.” — Casey McCloskey ’24 | Economics and Finance