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On Friday, June 13th, Caltech celebrated its 614 graduates with 619 degrees: 250 bachelor’s degrees, 148 master’s degrees, and 221 doctoral degrees.

The graduates, accompanied by numerous family members, friends, and community representatives as well as the Institute’s trustees and faculty, were acknowledged in a ceremony at Beckman Mall. It was a sunny, warm day, and the vicinity was adorned with orange and white balloons as the faculty and graduates made their way onto the mall to the sounds of the Caltech Convocation Brass, Percussion, and Organ Ensemble.

In speeches by Caltech’s Board of Trustees chair Dave Thompson (MS ’78), President Thomas F. Rosenbaum, and the 2025 commencement speaker Dr. Walter Massey, the graduates were commended for their achievements, recognized for their determination, persistence, and dedication to their academic endeavors, and encouraged to tackle the challenges of tomorrow, utilizing their technical abilities and problem-solving skills to positively influence and shape our future.

“Class of 2025, you are a dynamic community of pioneers, problem-solvers, scholars, creators, and visionaries,” expressed Massey, a condensed matter physicist, executive leader, and administrator with experience at the Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago, the University of California system, Morehouse College, the National Science Foundation, and more. “Genuine creativity is rooted in attributes that can never be automated. What you have acquired here at Caltech will unlock a cosmos of opportunities, lead to possibilities you never conceived, and transform your life in unexpected ways.”

Massey, who shared personal stories and insights from his own career path, wished the graduates success in graduate school, as postdocs, in academia or industry, and as entrepreneurs. Despite the challenging times the students are entering, Massey remarked enthusiastically, “I assure you, and I genuinely believe, based on my own experiences, that the chances for new discoveries and breakthroughs in all sectors of the creative economy are at an all-time high. … You possess the opportunity and the capability to make a positive impact on the world.”

Massey urged students to nurture the “values, characteristics, skills, and habits that empower us to navigate even the toughest circumstances: among these, community, diligence, the ability and desire to keep learning, persistence, resilience—a term you’ve often heard over these past couple of days—and a dash of luck!” He emphasized the significance of finding self-assurance. “As you depart today, I want you to leave your feelings of inadequacy behind. You would not have graduated if you didn’t belong here! You have earned this,” Massey asserted.

As someone who has traversed disciplinary boundaries himself, Massey encouraged the graduates to embrace the liberal arts. “The liberal arts instructed me in the art of learning and led to opportunities I had never envisioned, including perhaps the most incredible surprise of my life—becoming president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. And if you think you’ve felt feelings of inadequacy, try being a physicist managing an art school!”

Massey emphasized that graduates must take on the duty of “restoring public trust and belief in our institutions of knowledge,” but assured them they are equipped for this responsibility: “You have navigated the rigorous journey of one of the most esteemed institutions globally, and you have triumphed. You have been trained to tackle any problem with creativity, analytical precision, and integrity. What you have learned here has set you up for any obstacles that may arise.”

Thompson presided over the commencement ceremonies, extending greetings to the 2025 graduates and all who aided them along their journey.

Thompson addressed the challenges that the Caltech community faced this year, starting with the devastating LA fires in January, and highlighted the numerous ways in which the communities came together to support one another and provide scientific expertise for recovery efforts.

Thompson also acknowledged Caltech’s several achievements in 2025, led by alumni, scientists, researchers, and students. This year, the Initiative for Caltech Students raised over $250 million from more than 2,700 donors, along with contributions to support the theater arts, music performances, and initiatives to mentor first-year students as well as offering achievement coaching for students at all levels and postdoctoral scholars. Caltech scientists and those at JPL, which Caltech oversees for NASA, adapted fiber-sensing technology for volcano early warning systems, developed smart bandages capable of simultaneously monitoring and treating skin infections, advanced understanding of various learning modalities and their potential links to psychiatric disorders. They also initiated the Europa Clipper targeting Jupiter’s moon Europa and SPHEREx, NASA’s latest space telescope possibly answering questions about the universe’s early moments and signs of life elsewhere in the Milky Way. Furthermore, Caltech students, collaborating through the Caltech Y and various charities provided support for numerous initiatives, including fire recovery.

“To our students, as you transition after graduation, I hope you are inspired by these and many other breakthroughs that occurred during your time at Caltech. You leave here equipped with knowledge, skills, experience, and perspectives to continue the remarkable legacy of Caltech and to enhance it with your own efforts. We are all eager to see where your journeys lead.”

President Rosenbaum awarded degrees to the graduates, calling upon deans and division chairs to bring forward the graduates individually, and then presented four honors to members of the graduating class. These were:

• The Mabel Beckman Prize is granted annually to one or more students in recognition of their academic excellence, leadership, and service to the Institute community. This year, the award was presented to Shelby Scott and Sulekha Kishore.
• The Frederic W. Hinrichs, Jr., Memorial Award acknowledges seniors who, in the view of the undergraduate deans, contributed most significantly to the student body. The honorees for 2025 were Luke Zhou and Sophia Elam.
• The George W. Housner Prize recognizes a senior who has exhibited excellence in scholarship and in producing an outstanding piece of original research. The Housner Prize was presented to Miguel Lin-Shiaffini.
• The Milton and Francis Clauser Doctoral Prize is awarded by a faculty committee to the student whose PhD thesis exemplifies exceptional standards of quality, innovative research, and the potential to pave new paths of human thought and endeavor. The Clauser Prize was awarded to Zongyi Li for his thesis “Neural Operators for Scientific Computing.”

In his address, President Rosenbaum shared a photo of the 1985 physics faculty at the University of Chicago, which included himself, commencement speaker Walter Massey, and three Nobel laureates in physics among others. He reminded students of the significance that friendships among scientists play in a fulfilling life. “Regardless of which sector of society you choose to apply your talents, wherever in the globe you go, you will share a language and an approach with fellow scientists and engineers,” stated Rosenbaum. “A life in science writ large is rich in its stimulation, connections, and conviviality,” leading to “experiences that are rare in the joys they can provide and astounding in their potential.”

Rosenbaum concluded by wishing all the graduates “wholeness and enchantment on your onward journey.”

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