Commencement

Commencement 2025

Saturday, May 10, 2025
10:00 a.m.
David J. Prior Convocation Center

Commencement Speaker

Governor Youngkin has a distinguished background in both business and public service. Born in Richmond and raised in Virginia Beach, he holds undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering and managerial studies from Rice University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Prior to being inaugurated as governor in January 2022, Youngkin worked at the Carlyle Group for 25 years, serving as co-CEO. 

Honorary Class Speaker

Inés Latapia Izquierdo is a business administration major and marketing minor from Zaragoza, Spain. An international student and accomplished student-athlete, Latapia Izquierdo transferred to UVA Wise from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and in just two years, she has become a dynamic force on campus excelling academically and contributing meaningfully to student life.

Her academic achievements are matched by a robust record of service and leadership. She is a member of the women’s basketball team, a Senior Senator in the Student Government Association, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the Debate Society and an inductee of both the National Society of Leadership and Success, and The Darden Society.

Latapia Izquierdo also served as the Social Media Chair for International Week, developing content and organizing events to celebrate students from abroad. She managed social media for the Business and Economics Department, and worked as a receptionist at the Wellness Center, contributing to daily student life in both academic and wellness spaces.

Her leadership has been recognized with several campus awards, including the Unsung Hero Award and the SGA Service Award.

Latapia Izquierdo attributes much of her success to the generous financial support she received during her time at UVA Wise, where she earned numerous scholarships including the Richard and Leslie Gilliam Athletic Scholarship, the Jim and Eva Gott Bicentennial Scholarship, and the Phyllis A. and Don M. Green Bicentennial Scholarship.

After commencement, Latapia Izquierdo plans to return to Spain to gain professional experience in marketing while pursuing a master’s degree in brand strategy and creative brand management at the Pompeu Fabra University Barcelona School of Management. Her goal is to move to Switzerland and earn an MBA in luxury brand management from the Swiss School of Higher Education in Montreux.