News Story
May 10, 2025
La Roche University Celebrates 59th Commencement Ceremony
PITTSBURGH, May 10, 2025 – Today La Roche University proudly conferred 305 degrees during its 59th Commencement Ceremony.
The University honored 189 undergraduate and 116 graduate students, including 47 international students representing 25 countries.
This year’s commencement speaker, Merrick Hoben, addressed the graduating class with a compelling message on the value of civil discourse in today’s world. La Roche presented Mr. Hoben, a nationally recognized expert in dialogue and conflict resolution, with an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters for his professional achievements and dedication to public service.
Mr. Hoben’s remarks encouraged graduates to lead with empathy, listen with intention, and engage in constructive conversations in both their personal and professional lives.
“May you deepen your acknowledgement. May you strengthen your agency. May you enhance your reciprocity. May you ensure your clarity of roles and responsibility,” he told the graduating class. “And as you leave this ceremony, may you carry forward La Roche’s tradition of hospitality and friendship…May you welcome different perspectives not as threats, but as invitations—to listen, to learn and to grow.”
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Howard Ishiyama praised the Class of 2025 for their perseverance and achievements. “Today, this day, your life will change,” he added. “Remember what you learned at La Roche and continue to build on that knowledge and ability throughout your life.”
During the ceremony, La Roche announced two graduates as the 2025 recipients of the President’s Awards for Leadership and Scholarship:
Francesca Hvostal, BFA, Interior Architecture & Design
Returning Undergraduate Recipient
Quinn Rae Hughes, B.S., Biology
Traditional Undergraduate Recipient
Recipients of the President’s Awards for Leadership and Scholarship Award exemplify the values and characteristics of the La Roche mission statement, have exemplary academic records, and are leaders on campus, in the workplace and in the community.
About La Roche University: An independent liberal arts university in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers 71 undergraduate programs of study, eight master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, nursing, and health and medical sciences as well as interior architecture & design and graphic design. This residential university provides a vibrant campus community for women and men enjoying multiple student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
###