More than 1,800 family, friends, loved ones, faculty, and staff joined the graduating Class of 2025 on a chilly Saturday morning to cheer on the 221 J.D. candidates, 37 LL.M. candidates, and seven Master of Patent Law candidates, who crossed the stage and were awarded their degrees.
In his address to the Class of 2025, Dean William McGeveran, William S. Pattee Professor of Law, said, “You, class of 2025, have shown perseverance in the face of challenges, you have proven your skill and dedication, and you are ready to march out those doors to make your corner of the world better as members of an honorable profession.”
McGeveran continued, “At Minnesota Law, you participated in a vibrant community that joined together to develop the mental habits and personal skills the world needs now. You learned to analyze problems by digging deeply for the roots and questioning assumptions. You learned to consider every point of view and look at issues from all sides. You learned empathy because you can’t understand the other side without engaging it and listening — actually listening — with care and attention. You learned that the rule of law and the institutions that uphold it are precious and fragile, that we must never take them for granted, and must be dedicated to defending them. At the same time, you also learned that those rules and institutions can have profound flaws requiring constant challenge to improve them, to help them live up to the promise of justice, fairness, and equity for which we strive.”
In celebration of extraordinary contributions by our faculty over the past year, Dean McGeveran announced the 2025 recipients of the prestigious Stanley V. Kinyon Teacher of the Year Awards. Receiving the awards this year were:
- Nicholas Bednar ’16 (tenure-track faculty)
- Nadia Anguiano ’17 (clinical faculty)
- Amy Sweasy ’95 (skills/ professional faculty)
Dean McGeveran noted, “I also want to ensure this remarkable moment doesn’t go unnoticed. We didn’t plan it this way, but, for the first time in the history of this award, all three of our Kinyon Award winners are Law School alumni, and two are double Gophers with undergraduate degrees from the University. Clearly, those who learn from Minnesota Law faculty become great teachers themselves.”
Adam George ’25, 2024-25 Law Council president, presented the Class of 2025 student awards. The Most Outstanding Contribution Award was presented to Fariza Hassan ’25, and the Excellence in Public Service Award was presented to Sam Buisman ’25.
Donna Whipple ’25, co-chair of the Student Philanthropy Board, presented the class gift with a generous $3,401 contribution in support of diversity scholarships, which included a matching donation from the Alumni & Student Engagement Committee.
Dean McGeveran presented the William B. Lockhart Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Leadership, and Service to Alexander Lindenfelser ’25.
Professor Kim Ronning, director of academic and bar success, presented the Garry W. Jenkins Award for Equity & Diversity to Sydney White ’25 and Anzario Serrant ’25.
Svetlana Colville LL.M. ’25 delivered the LL.M. class address. She gave a warm address to the audience, Dean McGeveran, Minnesota Law faculty and staff, as well as her fellow LL.M. students, saying, “Minnesota Law’s LL.M. program brought together students from Egypt, Uganda, China, Turkey, Taiwan, Russia, France, Sudan, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Gambia, Belarus, Thailand, and Ecuador. That’s not just a list of countries—it’s a group of cultures, languages, and legal systems coming together in one classroom. We learned so much from each other. Every class became an opportunity to see law from a new angle and understand how deeply connected our world really is. Some of us made difficult sacrifices, living nine months away from family, missing milestones as our children grew, in order to create better opportunities and provide for our loved ones…For some of us, this opens new doors back home, where we can use what we’ve learned to help improve legal systems or advocate for change. For others, it offers a pathway to stay in the United States, build on our education, and pursue legal careers here using our foreign JD degrees. In either case, the impact is real and lasting.”
Reauna Jonae Stiff ’25 delivered the J.D. class address. She remarked that for many of her fellow students, this journey has been about more than just earning a law degree. “It has been about proving to others that we belong in a profession that, at times, struggles to recognize the value of our various experiences,” she said. “Today, I stand before you as a first-generation college and law student and someone who was given opportunities not just because of conventional accolades, but because others saw potential in me and took a chance. They called me in rather than screening me out, and because of that, I was able to prove myself.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz delivered the keynote address to the graduating class. He urged graduates to defend the rule of law. He highlighted the reputation of the Minnesota legal community, saying, “Here in Minnesota, we’re proud to be home to one of the most dedicated and fair-minded legal communities in the nation. And I promise — I’m not just saying that because I’ve appointed nearly half the judicial branch! We have an extremely qualified, diverse, thoughtful bench. High-powered firms, first-rate legal clinics, and brilliant attorneys. And, of course, one of the finest law schools in the damn world. There’s a reason so many of the top jurists in our state are Minnesota Law alumni. I’ve been proud to name 30 outstanding Golden Gophers to the state bench. And I’m certain many of you will someday join their ranks.”
Following Governor Walz’s address, University of Minnesota Regent Tadd Johnson ’85 officially conferred the degrees.
Professor Matthew Bodie, Professor Charlotte Garden, and Adjunct Professor Amy Sweasy ’95 presented the J.D. class. Hannah Logan, assistant director of International and Graduate Programs, presented the LL.M. class, and Professor Christopher M. Turoski '98 presented the Master of Patent Law class.
Members of the Theatre of the Relatively Talentless (TORT) helped close the ceremony by singing “Hail! Minnesota.” Participating TORT performers included Cole Edick ’25, Meghan Zula ’25, Cal Young ’25, and Isabelle Daniels ’25.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025!