At times, there were light showers falling over the 2025 Lesley University Commencement at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston’s Seaport; part of the connective river flowing through the ceremony celebrating more than 600 graduates noting their achievements in education, mental health and wellness, liberal arts and business, and the arts.
“Find your why,” said Commencement Speaker Allison Schmitt, a four-time Olympian and 10-time Olympic medalist. She spoke of her struggles chasing success, encountering failure, and learning to grow from both experiences. As an Olympian, Schmitt knows success and applause. She had to learn about personal growth in a very personal way, and encouraged Lesley graduates to understand the difference.
“The real growth happened in the quiet. In the lonely. In the moments between the big wins — the ones no one claps for. Because success doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from persistence. From perseverance. From showing up, falling short, and still choosing to keep going. That’s what I’ve learned — over and over again. And today, I share an important lesson I learned throughout my journey: Becoming isn’t something you finish. It’s something you commit to.”
That’s the Lesley spirit that flowed through this 2025 Commencement. Lesley University President Janet Steinmayer told graduates she was especially inspired by how Schmitt was able to commit to both herself and her team, and urged everyone to find power in that. “This unique part of the cannon of competitive swimming requires something different: knowing both your strengths and areas for growth, excelling within your role and complementing others, and contributing selflessly to a team.”
Then Steinmayer asked graduates to think of this metaphor as an invisible baton. In a track meet, a baton is handed off to the next competitor; in relay swimming; there is no baton, and so much of the work is unseen; underwater. President Steinmayer asked the Lesley community to think about all the batons they’ve been handed, and all the batons they’ve handed off.
“You, too, will become a teammate for others—mentoring, collaborating, lifting someone up when it’s their turn to run. The baton may still be invisible, but the momentum is real. And the exchange between one phase and the next is no less powerful for being quiet.”
One quiet exchange happened when Juno Harris spotted a sign for the Lesley College of Art & Design’s film program. At the time, he was selling copiers for Xerox. Now, he’s the Lesley University 2025 Undergraduate Commencement Speaker.
“Lesley wasn’t just a school for me—it was a launchpad,” he said in his Commencement address. He says choosing Lesley was a pivotal decision for him, because “it felt like a place where I could develop both creatively and intellectually, surrounded by faculty and peers who are deeply passionate and thoughtful. The environment here pushed me to dig deeper into my craft, but also to think critically about the world I’m creating in.”
Thinking critically is Lesley University’s Graduate Commencement Speaker, Dr. Paulette DiSpagna. In their Commencement Address, DiSpagna--an independently licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts who is EDMR trained, and TF-CBT trained with a B.A from Simmons, an Ed.M from Harvard, and a post-master’s CAGS MH from Cambridge College, who is now adding to their crown now a Ph.D from Lesley University--told their fellow graduates to keep going and build community.
Dr. DiSpagna is big into President Steinmayer’s concept of invisible batons. “You have everything you think you don’t, now go out and continue to build a healthy community,” urged DiSpagna. “Because all the success you are about to have…the way you are about to show out and show off… I am here for it, rooting for you and I always will be a member of your community. “
Lesley University Board of Trustees Chair welcomed the Class of 2025 to the worldwide Lesley community.
After today, you will be one of the more than 90,000 Lesley alums taking our planet by storm. You are part of a proud and well-respected group. You join a long line of talented, trailblazing, trendsetting, Lesley graduates. As you meet them throughout your career, you will share a special bond. It means something to be a Lesley graduate. Your future is bright.”