Commencement Ceremony Speakers
Vanessa B. Beasley, Ph.D.
President, Trinity University
Vanessa B. Beasley, Ph.D. began her tenure in July 2022 as Trinity University’s 20th president in the school’s 153-year history. Guided by the University’s student-centered mission and vision, Beasley stands ready to lead one of the nation’s top liberal arts universities.
Beasley, Trinity’s first female president, previously served as vice provost for academic affairs, dean of residential faculty, and an associate professor of communication studies at Vanderbilt University. Beasley’s areas of academic expertise include the rhetoric of American presidents, political rhetoric on immigration, and media and politics. She attended Vanderbilt as an undergraduate and earned a bachelor of arts in speech communication and theatre arts. She also holds a Ph.D. in speech communication from the University of Texas at Austin.
Kathleen Surpless, Ph.D.
Kathleen Surpless, Ph.D., is the Imogene & Harold Herndon Professor of Geology in the Department of Earth and Environmental Geosciences at Trinity University. A specialist in sedimentary basins of the Cordilleran mountain belt, she investigates what they reveal about Earth’s history, resources, and climate. Her honors include a fellowship in the Geological Society of America and Trinity's Best of the Best faculty. In addition, she is the 2025 Z.T. Scott Faculty Fellowship Award recipient, reflecting her deep commitment to undergraduate research and science education.
Omar Ratrut ’26
Student Speaker
Omar Ratrut, a native San Antonian, is a senior political science major with minors in sociology and philosophy. Omar serves as the President of the Student Government Association, works as an intern in the Admissions Office, and serves as the Judicial Chair of his fraternity, the Omega Phi. Omar is currently applying to law school to pursue his academic goals after graduating in May.