History made: Westminster University honors its class of '25 during school's 150th anniversary

SALT LAKE CITY — Westminster University honors its annual graduating class of students every spring — but the class of 2025 will forever hold a special distinction.

This year, the private Salt Lake City university is celebrating its sesquicentennial. It was founded by the First Presbyterian Church in 1875 as the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute.

The school's maiden cohort in 1875? Twenty-seven students.

Westminster University has, of course, grown over the past 150 years. It's now large enough to offer a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees — but it remains small enough that most of the faces that a Westminster student spots around campus will likely be familiar.

That dual dynamic was evident Saturday at Westminster University's graduation exercises for undergraduates on the school's Dumke Field. A ceremony for students awarded graduate degrees was held a day earlier.

In her opening remarks Saturday, Westminster President Beth Dobkin said the "Griffins" from the Class of 2025 enter a legacy 150 years in the making — and one that's built to meet the evolving needs of students, communities and workplaces.

"As we celebrate the sesquicentennial milestone, we honor those who came before you and look ahead to the future," she said.

"Your time here has prepared you with the knowledge to think freely and with discernment. The wisdom to navigate complexity. The imagination to create a better future. And the agency to take action."

Beyond the skills acquired while pursuing their respective degrees, added Dobkin, Westminster's newest class of graduates has also learned the importance of building bridges, leading with humility and inspiring changes to serve all.

"You have the skills to launch careers and build a life of purpose as you carry Westminster's legacy forward and embrace new challenges with integrity and confidence," she said.

"Keep learning and growing. The world needs your insight, creativity, passion and courage."

Tapestries of possibilities

Juanita Galvis — who claimed a double major in marketing and international business — was Saturday's undergraduate student speaker.

A native of Colombia, Galvis saluted her homeland's rich tradition of weavers who craft handwoven bags, tapestries and jewelry that represent generations of hard work and resilience.

"When I think of our journey here, I think of each of us as strands of yarn," she told her fellow students. "Coming from different places and backgrounds, we have intertwined at Westminster.

"We have come together to this beautiful campus, each to be part of this tapestry we now call home," she said.

Galvis recalled arriving at Westminster University feeling tangled and confused — like threads in a tight knot — about which direction to follow. She battled uncertainty. She was the first in her family to attend college in the United States. She did not always feel wanted in every space.

"This was not the case at Westminster," she said.

"I thank my marketing cohort and mentors because they taught me that my major can amplify voices and amplify the right messages — making space for those who often feel unwanted, such as fellow international students and students of color.

"Westminster has not only empowered my dreams but defined them," she said.

Galvis was initially hesitant to attend a small school. Those fears soon faded.

"I realized that Westminster is a campus with unmatched and unending opportunities," she said.

"Because of Westminster's size and inclusivity, we are all interconnected. We have friends from all areas of campus, from all majors and from all departments. Because at Westminster, it is impossible to walk around without saying 'hi' to at least three people," she said.

The "masterpiece" weaved at Westminster does not end with graduation, Galvis concluded.

"It is expanding with every step we take from here — we will carry this fabric of resilience and beauty. … I know that we are woven for greatness."

Thresholds to learning, legacies

Friday's graduate student speaker was Melissa Badger, who claimed a master's degree in accounting.

Badger arrived at Westminster University with several years of experience in the accounting field, but she pursued graduate studies to expand her professional opportunities.

When she applied for graduate studies at Westminster, she never envisioned speaking in front of her fellow graduates.

"But isn't that the beauty of life?" she marveled. "Taking a path to a specific destination and allowing it to unfold into more than you ever knew possible."

Westminster's graduation ceremony, added Badger, is "the threshold to each of our legacies."

"You're never too old or too young to continue to learn, grow and develop into greater mastery," she said. "Keep expanding your mind and your heart. Opportunity is all around — but it is up to each one of us to see it.

"Reach out our hands and claim it for ourselves and the communities we serve."

Westminster's class of 2025: By the numbers

This year, Westminster awarded 320 degrees — 198 undergraduate and 122 graduate.

Graduates represent 26 states and 21 countries and range in age from 20 to 63. Nine graduates are the first in their families to attend college.

Several faculty awards were presented during the graduation ceremonies.

Stephanie Stroud, an associate professor of theater, was awarded the Manford A. and June Shaw Faculty Publication Prize.

Connie Etter, an associate professor of justice studies and honors, received both the Manford A. and June Shaw Faculty Publication Prize and the Excellence in Teaching Award of the Bill and Vieve Gore Endowment Trust.

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