Abby Wambach, two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, will deliver the keynote address at Barnard’s 126th Commencement in May, President Sian Beilock and Dean of the College Avis Hinkson announced in an email to the community on Thursday.

With 184 career goals, Wambach is the all-time leading scorer in the history of international women’s soccer and is also a vocal advocate for pay equity and LGBTQ rights.

“Abby has led the fight for pay equity for women and has been a strong advocate for gender rights and, more specifically, the rights of the LGBTQ community,” Beilock and Hinkson wrote in the email. “Like many Barnard students, faculty and alumnae, Abby has used her career success to advance issues of importance for women and for society as a whole.”

Wambach will be joined at Commencement by mathematician and computer scientist Katherine Johnson, president of the National Resources Defense Council Rhea Suh, BC ’92, and author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Barnard Board Chair Emerita Anna Quindlen, BC ’74.

Each woman will be awarded a Barnard Medal of Distinction, the college’s highest honor, which recognizes individuals who embody Barnard’s commitment to “academic excellence and making a difference in the world.”

Commencement will take place on Wednesday, May 16 at 4:00 p.m. at Radio City Music Hall.

Dear Barnard Seniors and Barnard Community,

It is our pleasure to announce the distinguished speaker and medalists for Commencement 2018. We are honored that Abby Wambach, soccer star, Olympic gold medalist, and activist, will deliver the keynote address and receive the Barnard Medal of Distinction. In addition to being the all-time leading scorer in international soccer history with 184 career goals, Abby has led the fight for pay equity for women and has been a strong advocate for gender rights and, more specifically, the rights of the LGBTQ community. Like many Barnard students, faculty and alumnae, Abby has used her career success to advance issues of importance for women and for society as a whole.

Joining our speaker and medalist, Abby Wambach, will be three other medalists who, through their lives and work, embody Barnard’s commitment to academic excellence and to making a difference in the world. The medalists are: Katherine Johnson, acclaimed mathematician, computer scientist, and one of the three history-making women in the book and feature film Hidden Figures; Rhea Suh ’92, environmental policy expert and president of the Natural Resources Defense Council; and Barnard Board Chair Emerita Anna Quindlen ’74, distinguished author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Thanks are due to the Medalist Committee for their help in selecting our honorees, as well as to those who participated in the Commencement speaker conversations.

Read full bios of the medalists at: https://barnard.edu/news/olympic-medalist-and-world-cup-champion-abby-wambach-named-barnard-college-commencement-speaker

Barnard’s 126th Commencement will take place on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at 4:00 p.m., at Radio City Music Hall. Before the ceremony, the Class of 2018 will gather on campus for a celebratory reception with friends, family, and faculty. Bus transportation to Radio City Music Hall will be provided for all graduates, departing from Barnard at 2:30 p.m.

The University Commencement will also take place on the morning of Wednesday, May 16. More information and updates about both Commencement ceremonies will be posted over the next several weeks at www.barnard.edu/commencement.

We very much look forward to celebrating the spectacular achievements of the Barnard Class of 2018 on Wednesday, May 16.

Sincerely,

Sian Leah Beilock

President

Avis Hinkson

Dean of the College

aubri.juhasz@columbiaspectator.com | @AubriRuth