Yale News

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will take the stage on Old Campus to deliver the Yale College Class Day address to the graduating class of 2025.

Ardern, who served as New Zealand’s 40th prime minister from 2017 to 2023, led her country through a series of global and domestic challenges — namely, the Christchurch mosque shootings, a volcanic eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic. In the University’s announcement, Yale College Dean Pericles Lewis cited Ardern as “someone who embodies empathy and excellence, character and commitment, innovation and inclusion.” 

“Ms. Ardern speaks so candidly about how she has faced her own doubts and struggles, and I expect that her story will resonate deeply,” Lewis wrote to the News.

Class Day, which typically takes place on the Sunday before University commencement, will be held this year on May 18 — starting at 2 p.m. on Old Campus — and is open to the public. Seniors will begin the day with a baccalaureate service featuring remarks from University leaders before gathering for a celebratory brunch. 

Previous Class Day speakers have included television journalist Fareed Zakaria ’86, actor Tom Hanks and then-U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden. The 2024 Class Day Address was delivered by United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy MED ’03 SOM ’03.

“It’s deeply humbling to be this year’s Class Day speaker,” Ardern said in the announcement, “not only for the privilege of spending time with a new generation of leaders who will shape the future of their communities and countries — but because they will also change what leadership itself will look like.”

To many New Zealanders on campus, who praised her leadership back home, Ardern’s selection carries personal meaning.

Violette Perry ’25 told the News that as a Maori woman graduating from Yale, she felt incredibly proud and moved that Ardern was provided such an honor.

“She represents so much of what I love about Aotearoa (New Zealand) — the idea that even from a small nation, we can lead with global impact, integrity, and heart,” Perry wrote. “Her presence here reminds me that the values we carry from home — humility, community, and care — have a place on the world stage.”

During her time in office, Ardern became internationally known for her swift response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, which resulted in a nationwide ban on military-style semi-automatic firearms. She was also credited with helping New Zealand achieve one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates among developed nations through early lockdowns and public health coordination.

Ruby Barton ’26, also from New Zealand, noted how Ardern has “redefined what it means to be a powerful and effective leader.”

Echoing Barton, Stephen Liu ’27, a fellow Kiwi, emphasized how Ardern turned moments of tragedy into opportunities for broader global impact.

Michael Yao ’27 recalled being in high school when the Christchurch mosque attacks happened. 

“None of us thought anything like that could happen in New Zealand,” said Yao. “I tuned into Dame Jacinda’s address right after I came home, and her leadership helped the country pull closer together in the aftermath.”

Eva Hofmans ’25, who met Ardern in high school while receiving the Prime Minister’s Scholarship, recalled the former prime minister’s warmth and accessibility.

Hofmans added that she plans to recreate the photo she took with Ardern at the scholarship ceremony in 2019, now five years later, on Yale’s Old Campus.

“Despite being our Prime Minister, she remained personable and down to earth,” Hofmans said. “She broke barriers — leading a country as a young woman, having a child in office — and showed that you don’t need to pause your life to lead.”

Perry said that she “resonates” with Ardern’s authenticity — a trait she believes is especially important for a speech addressed to Yalies who have experienced impostor syndrome and questioned whether they belong.

Te Maia Wiki ’28, on the other hand, cited critiques of Ardern’s ability to follow through on legislation, especially to address a growing housing crisis.

Wiki, however, noted that as an American, she believes “the bar for elected leaders at this level is low” and that as a Native American, “the bar for recognizing Indigenous communities by elected leaders at that level is even lower.”

Wiki added that she is appreciative of Ardern “paving the way” for other women leaders worldwide.

Other students echoed the significance of choosing a global leader amidst political unrest within the U.S. 

Josh Ellis ’25, though excited to hear Ardern speak, speculated that her pick “won’t upset Yale’s spot in the fragile political climate of today,” as she is from outside the U.S. political sphere. 

Ellis furthered that picking a more decisive speaker would play into the discourse surrounding whether Yale should be taking more of a public political stance, mirroring statements made by Princeton and Harvard.

Most recently, Harvard sued the Trump administration over cuts to federal funding. Princeton’s president, Christopher Eisgruber, has also vowed to fight the Trump administration’s attacks. Earlier, Yale President Maurie McInnis told the News she prefers working behind the scenes rather than making public statements.

Risha Chakraborty ’25 described this pick as a “strong and subtle” message from the institution. She noted that the pick for Ardern is in line with the support of safe expression and academic freedom.

“A lot of seniors were hoping we’d get a speaker who would be cognizant of the world we’re stepping into and give us genuine inspiration and advice,” Chakraborty wrote.

Ardern was previously selected as Harvard’s 2022 commencement speaker. In her speech, she warned of rising political polarization and called for a renewed commitment to democratic dialogue.

“One of the Māori kupu (words) for a leader or chief is rangatira — someone who weaves people together,” Perry wrote to the News. “Jacinda embodies this concept so beautifully. She leads not by commanding others, but by connecting them — by empowering people to move, act, and lead together. That spirit of collective leadership, of binding people through purpose and compassion, is something I believe will deeply inspire our graduating class.”

Yale’s 2025 Class Day will be held on May 18.