Academic Convocation Speaker
Mae Jemison, a former NASA astronaut, physician, and educator, will be RIT’s Academic Convocation keynote speaker on May 8.
Convocation 2026 Speaker Mae Jemison
Past Speakers
Astro Teller
Entrepreneur, Scientist, Engineer
2025
Patricia Moore
Designer and Gerontologist
2024
Thomas Zurbuchen
Former Associate Administrator, NASA Science Mission Directorate
2023
Kimberly Bryant
Founder and CEO, Black Girls CODE
2022
Eric Avar
Vice President and Creative Guide of Innovation Design, Nike
2021
Jody Olsen
Peace Corps Director
2020
John Seely Brown
Former Chief Scientist of Xerox Corp. and Director of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)
2019
Tom Wheeler
Former Chairman of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), Businessman and Author
2018
Austin McChord
Founder and CEO, Datto
2017
France A. Cordova
14th Director of the National Science Foundation
2016
Charles F. Bolden Jr.
12th NASA Administrator
2015
William Daniel Phillips
Researcher
2014
Alex Kipman
Microsoft Engineer
2013
Bill Nye
Science Educator
2012
Brian L. Hinman
Entrepreneur and Inventor
2011
Bob Schieffer
Chief Washington Correspondent, CBS News
2010
Ursula Burns
President of Xerox Corp
2009
Dr. Stanley Mckenzie
Former RIT Provost
2008
William Jefferson Clinton
42nd President of the United States
2007
Dean Kamen
Entrepreneur and Inventor of Segway
2006
Senator Daniel Inouye
Senator of Hawaii
2005
Anne M. Mulcahy
Chairman & CEO Xerox Corporation
2004
Senator Charles Schumer
Senator of New York
2003
George Tenet
Director, Central Intelligence Agency
2002