Class of 2025: Defined by Resilience and Innovation

During Lehigh’s undergraduate Commencement on Sunday, May 18, Lumen Technologies’ Kate Johnson ’89 delivered the keynote address to graduates, families and guests, sharing her experiences as an undergraduate student at Lehigh and the subsequent lessons that have shaped her life and remarkable career.

A seasoned technology leader with a proven track record of driving business transformation success at several Fortune 100 companies including Microsoft and Oracle, Johnson’s professional career is marked by resilience and innovation—characteristics that also apply to the Class of 2025.

The 1,485 graduates who took the field at Goodman Stadium on Sunday were part of the first incoming class at Lehigh to return to a more traditional university experience following the COVID-19 pandemic, and they helped rebuild a thriving campus community. In the face of societal challenges like natural disasters, many applied their knowledge and skills to help address critical needs in society. They experienced the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and many harnessed its ability to advance their learning and research.

During her address, Johnson recognized that the Class of 1989 and 2025 faced a world filled with similar challenges and uncertainties, noting that 36 years ago, there was a global health crisis, a violent geopolitical stage, a man-made environmental disaster and a new disruptive technology known as the World Wide Web.

“And here we are in 2025, once again facing great uncertainty,” Johnson said. “But this time, it seems to be coming at us with greater velocity and impact.”

She mentioned that as first-year students, the graduates were probably more focused on how the pandemic would shape their college experience. But then AI emerged “out of nowhere, posing as the single greatest study buddy ever” and reshaped their first job market.

As president and chief executive officer of Lumen Technologies since 2022, Johnson is leading Lumen through a fundamental transformation, from a legacy communications provider to the trusted network for AI. Johnson said their work has led to positive progress in the company’s financial health and stock price, and appears to be disrupting the industry.

She attributed the success to Lumen’s flexibility, noting that “companies who can adapt tend to prevail,” she said.

While graduates may be feeling anxious or concerned, Johnson assured they are not alone, and she reminded them that when history repeats, humans adapt, persevere and prevail.

“Class of 2025, you are those humans,” she said. “You need to help us figure this pattern out. We need you in the game—every single one of you.”

She said Lehigh gave the graduates the tools they need to be successful and taught them how to “play to win.” According to Johnson, that means “building the life you want no matter what the world around you looks like.”

She encouraged graduates to focus on discovering what is right for them and where they can have a meaningful impact. She urged the Class of 2025 to adopt a “learn-it-all mindset” and commit to “showing up with more questions than answers, and using that information to grow and adapt.”

Lastly, Johnson stressed the importance of surrounding yourself with a great team at home, work and elsewhere, since “human connection has the power to make us stronger, especially in uncertain times.”

Turning Challenges into Positive Change

For some of the graduates, the changes and challenges that happened around them during their undergraduate years—from the impact of the pandemic and natural disasters to the rise of new technology like AI—sparked an interest in related studies and research.

‘We Watched and Worked Together’

President Joseph J. Helble ’82 opened the undergraduate Commencement ceremony and introduced Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Nathan Urban, who greeted the graduates and guests.

Urban introduced Kaitlyn Powel ’25, a computer science and engineering major in the IDEAS (Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts and Sciences) program. Powel was a member of the undergraduate student staff of the Pride Center at Lehigh and served on the executive boards of multiple organizations on campus, including Students Promoting Equality, Awareness and Knowledge (SPEAK), IDEAS Student Association, the club swim team and Alpha Gamma Delta, her sorority.

She received two awards at Lehigh’s 39th Student Life Leadership Awards, including the Contribution to Student Life Award and the Outstanding Educational Programming Award.

Powel reflected on the graduates’ time at Lehigh, noting that many chose to attend the university before ever having the chance to visit campus due to the pandemic.

“Whether flights were impossible to catch or tours just weren’t happening, we took a leap into the unknown, and somehow, we landed right where we needed to be,” Powel said.

The class saw many university milestones throughout their years as undergraduate students, she said. These milestones included the 50th anniversary of women being admitted to Lehigh, the opening of the Health, Science and Technology Building (HST) and the Business and Innovation Building, and the reopening of the newly-renovated Clayton University Center at Packer Hall.

“We watched and worked together as Lehigh rebuilt itself after the pandemic,” she said.

In addition to working together, Powell said her fellow graduates challenged each other every day to become the best versions of themselves and bridge gaps between different areas of student life on campus.

“I have seen us plant seeds of belonging that will hold future generations accountable to strive for inclusive excellence,” Powel said.

Powel reminded the graduates that their growth as Lehigh students will be of benefit in their next chapters.

“It is Lehigh’s academic rigor paired with years of mental and personal growth that equips us not just with knowledge, but with empathy, resilience and awareness to carry us wherever we find ourselves next,” Powel said.

‘Remember the Impact You Have Had’

Helble returned to the podium to address graduates and recalled challenges the Class of 2025 has witnessed, “from navigating the pandemic to global events that have deeply affected our communities to growing public scrutiny of higher education.”

“And yet even in the most challenging moments, I would find that I could simply step outside, run into some of you, and it would remind me of why higher education, why our work here at Lehigh, why your work, matters to us all so much,” Helble said. “Your grounded optimism—your realistic, pragmatic, determined optimism—is uplifting for each and every one of us. And Class of 2025, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for that.”

He then stressed the importance of listening as a leader.

“I believe the single most important thing a leader can do, the single most important thing a skilled communicator can do, is listen—truly listen,” Helble said.

He told the graduates that giving full and undivided attention can be difficult due to digital connectivity and the pace of our lives.

“It isn’t easy, but I will tell you that over my long career, the individuals who have impressed me the most, and the colleagues I have respected the most, are those who truly listen,” he said.

Helble quoted President Calvin Coolidge, who once said, “No man ever listened himself out of a job.”

He followed the quote with a request to the graduates to do the hard work and be attentive listeners.

“Class of 2025, when you go out in the world, I ask you, remember the impact you have had around those of us who have listened to you,” Helble said. “Please give that gift to one another and carry that forward. Do the hard work. Truly and deeply listen. It will make such a difference in your lives and the lives of those around you.”

The undergraduate Commencement followed Saturday’s graduate Commencement and doctoral hooding ceremony.

There were 1,485 undergraduates in the Class of 2025…127 graduates received interdisciplinary bachelor’s degrees … Undergraduates majored in 66 different disciplines … The ceremony began with an invocation from Reverend Lloyd H. Steffen, university chaplain, and was followed by the national anthem, led by Anna E. Forebaugh ’25 … Kaitlyn M. Powel ’25 delivered the undergraduate remarks … The ceremony officially concluded with the ringing of the bell by representatives of the classes of 1975 (Karen L. Stuckey) and 2025 (Ethan F. Riester) ... The benediction was offered by Imam Tariq Ameer, director of Muslim student life … The alma mater was led by Mia J. Miranda ’25 … The Allentown Band delivered its 42nd consecutive performance at Lehigh’s Commencement ceremony. It is America's oldest civilian concert band, with its first documented performance on July 4, 1828.