Furman graduates 571 from the Class of 2025

Something about Furman University brought the Class of 2025 to campus four years ago, Furman’s President Elizabeth Davis told the graduates on a soggy evening during the university’s commencement ceremony in Paladin Stadium on May 10.

“It may have been our beautiful campus, our academic programs or the chance to do research or study away,” Davis told the students as they celebrated the joy of graduation. “Hopefully Furman has prepared you, and not just for a job. Jobs and careers will change. I hope we have prepared you for life. For resilience. For joy.”

Students celebrate after receiving their diplomas during the 2025 Commencement Ceremony in Paladin Stadium on May 10.

Rain threatened to move commencement indoors for the second year in a row, but at 8 a.m. the university decided to take a chance with the weather and rain that had fallen earlier in the day held off until after caps were tossed in the air.

The graduating class was composed of 522 undergraduates and 49 graduate students. The most popular undergraduate majors were business administration, communication studies, politics and international affairs, health sciences and psychology.

About 20 members of the Class of 1975 returned to campus to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their own commencement. When they were studying at Furman, the campus’ oldest building was 20 years old, Davis said.

Senior Class Gift and Awards

Senior class representative Frances O’Shea ’25 said Furman has prepared the Class of 2025 to give back and engage meaningfully with their world. As they look toward entering the workforce or continuing their education, O’Shea said they’ll be the next generation to provide internships and mentorships to rising Paladins.

She and the other senior class Student Government Association representatives presented the class gift: $22,387.06 raised by nearly 280 seniors – 52% of the Class – toward various campus funds.

Davis recognized five retiring members of Furman’s faculty and staff: Cleveland Robert Fraser, professor of politics and international affairs; Donald Lloyd Gordon, professor of politics and international affairs and executive director and special counsel for the Riley Institute; Gary Jay Malvern, professor of music; Mark Alan Stone, professor of philosophy; and Elizabeth Christopher Young, instruction and research services librarian. This year’s retirees share 192 cumulative years of service to the university.

Davis was joined by Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Beth Pontari and Board of Trustees Chair Kevin T. Byrne ’91 as they presented numerous awards to outstanding student graduates, exceptional academic advisors and excellent teachers.

Student Address: ‘The Pale Blue Dot and Us’

Ainsley Dunbar Buss ’25 gives the student address during the 2025 Commencement Ceremony in Paladin Stadium on May 10.

Major milestones like commencement offer a fresh perspective on life. Ainsley Dunbar Buss ’25, music and English major, gave the student address at commencement and reflected on the sense of togetherness she felt with her classmates while looking at the image “The Pale Blue Dot.”

Taken in 1990 by NASA’s Voyager 1 probe, the image shows Earth as a speck in the void, surrounded by shafts of light coming off the Sun.

“In that moment, every single person who was alive, every structure and every memory flickering in their minds is on that pale blue dot,” Buss said. “We may be the only beings in the universe, but we are that together, creating new memories, learning new things, advancing our home, celebrating our successes and loving each other, always.”

Whether it’s Paladin football players visiting sick children at local hospitals or a professor bringing their RV to campus during the power outages following Hurricane Helene so students could charge their phones and call home, Furman embodies that sense of togetherness, Buss said. She reflected on the lives of Stasi Hester ’25 and Bryce Stanfield ’25, two members of their class who passed away, and said Furman will always be a home for them, too.

Keynote address: Kristin Huguet Quayle

The night’s keynote speaker was Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Communications Kristin Huguet Quayle ’99. Before Quayle’s speech, she was presented with an honorary doctorate of Humanities. You may read her remarks here.

“Ms. Quayle is responsible for shaping and sharing Apple’s story of innovation and its position on values with consumers, employees and shareholders,” Davis said. “She exemplifies the Furman University alumnus. She has employed her experiences at Furman to build a life that inspires and moves others.”

Quayle told the audience how she moved from New York to San Francisco to immerse herself in the tech boom. That led her to Apple, where she watched the genius of Steve Jobs, the launch of the iPhone and the innovations she gets to be a part of now working for CEO Tim Cook.

Her advice to the graduates? Ask questions, stay curious and be brave. It takes courage to challenge assumptions and pursue a greater good.

“The magic comes when you’re a part of something larger than yourself,” she said, “and my great hope is that you’ll go out there and find a way to make a difference in the world.”