Santa Clara University Announces 2025 Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients

CEO and chairperson of Arista Networks Jayshree V. Ullal M.S. ’86, will address more than 13,000 at the undergraduate ceremony

Two visionary technology leaders, a champion of compassionate care, and a member of the Vatican dicastery are among the speakers who will take the stage at Santa Clara University’s five 2025 commencement ceremonies.

On Saturday morning, June 14, the University will host the largest of its commencement ceremonies—for undergraduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Leavey School of Business, and the School of Engineering. The speaker will be Jayshree V. Ullal M.S. ’86, CEO and chairperson of Arista Networks, a pioneering leader in the technology industry who has been widely recognized for her strategic vision and leadership.

Undergraduate Ceremony

Ullal, who will receive an honorary doctor of engineering degree, will share remarks at the undergraduate commencement ceremony on June 14 at 8:30 a.m. before more than 1,400 graduating students plus their friends and families.

Born in London and raised in New Delhi, India, Ullal moved to the United States for higher education, earning her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from San Francisco State University and a master’s degree in engineering management from Santa Clara University. She began her career at AMD and later joined Crescendo Communications, which was acquired by Cisco Systems, where she played a crucial role in the success of the company’s Catalyst switching business.

In 2008, Ullal was appointed CEO of Arista Networks, a company specializing in cloud networking solutions. Under her leadership, Arista has grown into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, redefining data center networking with its cutting-edge technology. She successfully led the company through its IPO in 2014, positioning Arista as a dominant force in the industry. Throughout her tenure, Ullal has earned accolades, including E&Y’s "Entrepreneur of the Year," Barron’s “World’s Best CEOs,” and Fortune’s “Top 20 Business Persons.” She was named “Global Indian of the Year” by The Economic Times and recognized twice as a “Silicon Valley Power 100” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ullal champions diversity in tech and actively supports women in leadership roles. She serves on multiple advisory boards and is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of engineers and entrepreneurs. She has also been recognized for her philanthropic efforts, including establishing a foundation with her husband to support cancer research, social services, and hunger relief in India.

In 2013, Ullal received the Santa Clara University School of Engineering Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award. The highest honor bestowed by the School of Engineering, it recognizes graduates whose accomplishments in their professions, communities, and University service have set them apart. She continues to inspire through her commitment to innovation, leadership, and social impact. Ullal and her husband, Vijay, have two daughters.

Graduate Ceremonies

The ceremony for graduates of the University’s School of Education and Counseling Psychology and the Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries will be held on June 14 at 4 p.m. Kathy Nicholson Hull M.A. ’80, founder of the first freestanding pediatric palliative care center in the United States, will share the commencement remarks. Hull, who will be recognized with an honorary doctor of public service degree, is the founder and board member at George Mark Children’s House. Now in its 21st year, George Mark continues its unwavering commitment to providing exceptional care to seriously ill children and support for their families. Hull’s TED Talk, “Stories From a Home for Terminally Ill Children,” has been viewed more than one million times. Acknowledgments for her philanthropy and humanitarianism include a Minerva Award, a Purpose Prize Fellow, a Jefferson Award for Public Service, and recognition by the City of San Francisco and Congressman Eric Swalwell. Hull is also a regent emeritus of Santa Clara University. She and her husband are proud parents of eight children and have 12 grandchildren.

On June 14 at 7 p.m., Dean Ed Grier of the Leavey School of Business and Dean Kendra Sharp of the School of Engineering will recognize the hard work, perseverance, and achievements of the graduates of their respective schools during this commencement ceremony.

Law and Theology Graduation Events

Two other graduate schools of Santa Clara University will hold commencement ceremonies three weeks before the undergraduate and graduate commencements.

Santa Clara University School of Law will host its commencement on Saturday, May 24, at 9 a.m. in Leavey Center with featured speaker Howard S. Charney MBA ’73, J.D. ’77, Hon. ’18. Charney is a technology pioneer and former Cisco senior vice president who helped develop Fast Ethernet and cost-effective switching, co-founded 3Com, and led innovations that shaped the modern Internet. Now a distinguished professor at Santa Clara University School of Law, he and his wife, Alida, have generously supported student scholarships and the construction of the Howard S. and Alida S. Charney Hall of Law. In 2018, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Santa Clara University for his contributions to technology and legal education.

Later that day at 2 p.m., the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University (JST-SCU) will mark the culmination of its students’ academic journeys with a commencement ceremony—for the first time in its history—in the Santa Clara Mission Church. The ceremony’s guest speaker will be Antonio Spadaro, S.J., a Jesuit priest who serves as undersecretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education. He was previously the editor-in-chief of the Jesuits’ biweekly review, La Civiltà Cattolica, a post he had since 2011. He is an accomplished author who has written extensively on issues at the intersection of the Catholic Church, technology, culture, and politics. Spadaro will be recognized with an honorary doctorate in divinity.

“It is a profound honor to welcome Jayshree Ullal, Howard Charney, Dr. Kathy Hull, and Father Antonio Spadaro, to our 2025 Commencement ceremonies,” said Santa Clara University President Julie Sullivan. “Jayshree, Howard, and Kathy—distinguished alumni of our university—along with Father Spadaro, exemplify the Jesuit ideals of leadership, innovation, and service to others. Their dedication to making a meaningful impact in their fields and communities is a true reflection of our mission at Santa Clara. We are grateful for the wisdom and inspiration they will share with our graduates as they step forward to shape a more just, compassionate, and innovative world.”

About Santa Clara University

Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University sits in the heart of Silicon Valley—the world’s most innovative and entrepreneurial region. The University’s stunningly landscaped 106-acre campus is home to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís. Ranked among the top 15 percent of national universities by U.S. News & World Report, SCU has among the best four-year graduation rates in the nation and is rated by PayScale in the top 1 percent of universities with the highest-paid graduates. SCU has produced elite levels of Fulbright Scholars as well as four Rhodes Scholars. With undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, and graduate programs in six disciplines, the curriculum blends high-tech innovation with social consciousness grounded in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education. For more information, see www.scu.edu.

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“It is a profound honor to welcome Jayshree Ullal, Howard Charney, Dr. Kathy Hull, and Father Antonio Spadaro, to our 2025 Commencement ceremonies,” said Santa Clara University President Julie Sullivan.