Commencement

Anderson University will hold its 107th Commencement and Baccalaureate ceremonies in Reardon Auditorium May 3, 2025. The ceremonies will be combined into one program that begins at 2 p.m.

Anderson University President John Pistole will deliver the Commencement address. Pistole will retire at the end of May, ending a 10-year run as the university president. Prior to his time at AU, he served as the deputy director of the FBI and the administrator of the TSA.

In his role as Administrator of the TSA, Pistole led a 60,000-strong workforce, the security operations of more than 450 airports throughout the United States, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and shared security for highways, railroads, ports, mass transit systems, and pipelines. Under his leadership, the TSA worked to transform as a risk-based, intelligence-driven counterterrorism agency dedicated to protecting the nation’s transportation systems.

Gloria Gaither ’63, a Christian singer-songwriter, author, speaker, editor, and academic will deliver the Baccalaureate address. The collaborations of Gaither and husband Bill ’59 have resulted in more than 700 popular gospel songs, including the hymnal standards “Because He Lives” and “He Touched Me.” They have collectively garnered eight Grammy Awards and more than a dozen nominations; and they have received more than 40 Gospel Music Association (GMA) DOVE Awards, earning the title “Songwriter of the Year” eight times. The couple are members of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

An honorary degree will be awarded to Renee Allen. Allen and her late husband Larry have been generous donors to the performing arts at AU. 

Guests planning to attend Commencement will need a ticket to enter Reardon Auditorium. Students graduating have been allotted six tickets each. Overflow seating will be available in Hartung Hall room 101. Overflow seating does not require a ticket.