This weekend, Emory University and Goizueta Business School honored the Class of 2025 in a vibrant celebration that paid homage to Emory’s motto, cor prudentis possidebit scientiam: The wise heart seeks knowledge. The dreary weather did little to dampen the spirits of legions of students who have poured mind, body, and soul into this pinnacle moment, as well as the many faculty, staff, friends, and family in attendance who have supported their journey here.
A Landmark Year for Graduate Programs
Goizueta Business School’s master’s diploma ceremony took place on Friday, May 9, marking a significant milestone for the school. As well as welcoming graduates from the MBA, Master of Finance (MF), and Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) programs, Dean Gareth James had the pleasure of introducing the inaugural class of the Master in Business for Veterans (MBV) graduates and Master in Management (MiM) graduates.
In his address, Dean James highlighted the importance of taking risks, drawing inspiration from Roberto C. Goizueta’s legacy. He encouraged graduates to embrace opportunities that may seem daunting, sharing his own experience of moving from New Zealand to the U.S. for graduate school. “All my biggest successes have come from taking risks,” he noted, urging the Class of 2025 to dive in whenever opportunity comes knocking.
The keynote speaker Adrian Tonge 02BBA 07MBA, Executive Vice President of Data & Analytics North America at Chubb, and a proud double Emory alumnus, shared insights from his career in data science and AI. He emphasized the importance of community in finding fulfillment and success. “While life isn’t linear—and its paths can be daunting—I encourage you to travel it with others. Build your network. That network will carry you farther than you imagined.”
Undergraduate Accomplishments Celebrated with Pride
On Monday, May 12, the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) diploma ceremony was held at the Woodruff PE Center. Dean Gareth James addressed the Class of 2025 with a message of pride, challenge, and inspiration.
“Our programs are selective, our standards are high, and the path to this moment has required resilience, determination, and grit,” James said, recognizing the collective efforts of faculty, staff, and especially families and loved ones.
Graduates also received a special address from Rick Rieder 83BBA, Senior Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income at BlackRock. Rieder, who is responsible for managing roughly $3 trillion in assets, shared the seven words that he lives by: “Work hard. Play hard. Give back. Reboot.”
After a series of inspiring moments, Dean James returned to close the ceremony with a reflection that emphasized the strength of Goizueta’s community—drawing a powerful comparison to the sport of competitive sailing and highlighting the enduring role of alumni like Rieder.
“The students are the water that we sail through—without them the race doesn’t even make sense. But our alumni—our alumni are the wind in the sails,” he said. “You now have the honor and privilege to call yourselves Emory Goizueta Alums.”
The BBA Honors & Awards Celebration on Saturday, May 10, 2025 recognized the achievements of Goizueta’s exceptional graduating seniors.
Honoring Doctoral Scholars
In a more intimate but equally meaningful celebration, Goizueta honored its graduating PhD students during a send-off reception on Wednesday, May 7. Dean Gareth James described it as “a small handful of very special students” entering a “rare and privileged group — PhDs.” This year, nine doctoral graduates joined the ranks of over 120 Goizueta PhD alumni, heading to distinguished institutions as postdoctoral scholars and assistant professors.
Reflecting on his own academic lineage, Dean James spoke about the continuity of scholarly knowledge stretching back hundreds of years — from Trevor Hastie and Peter Huber to names like Laplace, Euler, and Bernoulli. “You have that same accumulated knowledge,” he told graduates. “That is a privilege that few people ever experience. Now you have a duty to go out into the world and both add to, and spread, that knowledge.”
“This is a very important success,” James concluded, “but also a stepping stone to even bigger and better things. Take a few minutes today to celebrate.”
“But of course, tomorrow — get straight back to finishing off that paper,” Dean James joked.
Looking Ahead
As the Class of 2025 embarks on their next chapters, Dean James reminded them of the enduring support from the Goizueta community.
“Ultimately, Goizueta will be judged based on the graduates we produce. Your successes and failures are also ours. But I know, with absolute certainty, that you will all experience many more successes than failures. Our school’s future is very bright. As you set sail into this next phase of life, know that Goizueta will always be part of your crew—ready to support, celebrate, and steady the course when needed.”
Congratulations to the Goizueta Business School Class of 2025!
For more information on Emory University’s 2025 Commencement, visit the Commencement Hub.
