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News — An illustrious cohort of scholars, authors, and industry professionals will share their words of wisdom with University of Miami graduates during seven commencement ceremonies over three days, May 8-10, at the Watsco Center on the Coral Gables Campus.  

The ceremonies will be  for virtual viewing from anywhere, enabling everybody to celebrate the accomplishments of approximately 1,243 new doctoral and master’s degree holders, 3,075 baccalaureates, 411 law students, and 198 medical students earning their degrees from the University of Miami. 

Read on to learn more about each commencement speaker, along with the date, time, and the schools and colleges associated with the specific ceremony.

Thursday, May 8, 10 a.m.; James A. Kushlan, author, biologist, educator, conservationist, and three-time alumnus of the College of Arts and Sciences

Graduate degree ceremony for the Graduate School, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, Miller School of Medicine, and School of Nursing and Health Studies

Growing up in Miami, James A. Kushlan’s fascination with the birds, alligators, manatees, and other exotic creatures that filled the South Florida waterways blossomed during a high school biology class. This realization would define his life’s work and lead to 50 years researching and establishing conservation programs for waterbird populations, wetlands, and endangered species. 

At the University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1969, graduating cum laude; a master’s degree in 1972; and a doctorate in 1974 in biological sciences. His thesis focused on studying the University’s mascot, the white ibis. 

He has authored 12 books and more than 270 technical articles, taught at multiple universities—including his alma mater, founded several conservation organizations, and helped shape conservation policy and research at national and global levels. 

Currently, Kushlan is a board director of the Everglades Foundation, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and Archbold Biological Station. He also serves on the advisory committee to BirdLife International. He continues to mentor young scientists and advocate for the protection of wetlands and wildlife.

Thursday, May 8, 3 p.m.; Susan P. Mullane, professor of professional practice and three-time alumna of the School of Education and Human Development 

Graduate degree ceremony for the Graduate School, School of Architecture, the Miami Herbert Business School, the School of Communication, the School of Education and Human Development, and the Frost School of Music

An All-American diver from Louisville, Kentucky, Susan P. Mullane arrived at the University and became one of the first women in the country to receive an athletic college scholarship. She went on to earn three degrees from the University, including a Ph.D. in higher education and sport administration.

She is a professor of professional practice at the School of Education and Human Development and a founder of the undergraduate sport administration program, which she has directed for 22 years.

Her contributions to ethics in education extend to Miami-Dade County, where she served as chairperson of the Ethics Advisory Committee for the school board and co-authored the board’s Code of Ethics. She has published extensively in leading journals and presented at more than 50 conferences on her research areas of leadership, ethics, sport ethics, and higher education. 

A true trailblazer, Mullane has not only shaped the field of sport ethics but also paved the way for generations of students and women in sports and academia. 

Friday, May 9, 8:30 a.m.; Irwin Raij, partner and co-chair of Entertainment, Sports, and Media at Sidley Austin and alumnus of the Miami Herbert Business School

Undergraduate degree ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences and Division of Continuing and International Education

After earning his law degree at Washington University in Saint Louis, Irwin Raij went into public service, working for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of White House Counsel, and the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign. An interest in how government agencies collaborated with private businesses launched his career into the business side of sports, representing major sports leagues and teams, government agencies, ownership groups, and businesses tied to the development, construction, and financing of stadiums. 

Today his work with Sidley Austin’s Entertainment, Sports, and Media industry group spans global markets—from European soccer and Formula 1 to professional and collegiate leagues throughout North America.

Among his accomplishments, Raij represented a group of investors that included Earvin “Magic” Johnson on the purchase of the LA Dodgers for a record-breaking $2.15 billion and represented Major League Baseball in its negotiation for approval to build Miami’s Marlins Stadium. 

As an undergraduate student, Raij served two terms as Student Government president and chaired the committee that led to the student body’s approval of the 1992 referendum to build the Herbert Wellness Center. He remains engaged with the University as an adjunct faculty member and a member of the Board of Advisors for the School of Law’s Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. Program.

Friday, May 9, 1 p.m.; Lila Snyder, CEO of Bose Corporation, alumna of the College of Engineering, and director on the University Alumni Association Board of Directors

Undergraduate degree ceremony for the Miami Herbert Business School and College of Engineering

Lila Snyder earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1994, graduating summa cum laude. She went on to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering while studying how to regenerate the peripheral nervous system using materials and scaffolds that would be implanted in the human body.

Her career pivoted when she took a job at McKinsey & Company, one of the country’s most prestigious consulting firms. There, she applied the problem-solving skills she honed as an engineer to her business clients, a strategy that propelled her to the role of partner.

At Pitney Bowes Inc., she served as executive vice president and president for commerce services at the technology-driven company. She joined the Bose Corporation in 2020 as CEO, facing unprecedented challenges, including global supply chain disruptions and computer chip shortages. As Bose’s first female CEO in the company’s 60-year history, she is paving the way for others to follow. 

Friday, May 9, 5:30 p.m.; Jonathan Vilma, three-time NFL Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion, alumnus of the Miami Herbert Business School, and member of the Board of Trustees

Undergraduate degree ceremony for the School of Architecture, the School of Communication, the School of Education and Human Development, the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, the Frost School of Music, and the School of Nursing and Health Studies

Jonathan Vilma grew up in a household where academics always came first. Once his parents allowed him to play football—if he did well in school—he quickly established himself as one of the nation’s premier linebackers.

He consistently earned Dean’s List honors, graduating from Miami Herbert Business School with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He was a two-time Academic All-American and a three-time Academic All-Big East Team honoree, the recipient of the 10th annual Walter Kichefski Endowed Football Scholarship and the Jack Lambert Trophy, and was a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award, given annually to the nation’s top linebacker.

Vilma was selected by the New York Jets with the 12th pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. In 2008 Vilma was traded to the New Orleans Saints, made two more Pro Bowl selections, and helped the Saints win Super Bowl XLIV. He was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2017. Vilma transitioned to broadcasting following his NFL retirement in 2014 and is in his sixth season as a color analyst with FOX.

Vilma has remained deeply committed to giving back to the University and to the community. A lifelong Cane, he continues to support his alma mater, currently serving on the University’s Board of Trustees and chairing the Student Affairs Committee.

Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.; Dov Seidman, founder and chairman of LRN and The HOW Institute for Society, and author of “HOW”

The School of Law ceremony

Dov Seidman attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he graduated summa cum laude with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy in 1987. He went on to attend Oxford University, earning a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics before acquiring his legal expertise at Harvard Law School, graduating with a J.D. in 1992. 

His company LRN works with thousands of organizations and has educated more than 50 million employees in 70 languages in over 100 countries to both navigate complex legal and regulatory environments and make ethical decisions. Founded in 2019, The HOW Institute for Society works to instill a culture of moral leadership and principled decision-making at every level and sector of society. 

Seidman serves on the boards of 92NY, the Ellison Medical Institute, Planet Word, and The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. In 2022 he was appointed a Hauser Leader at the Harvard Kennedy School. Each year he visits the University’s School of Law to teach in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Program, in which “HOW” is used as the foundational textbook.

Saturday, May 10, 3 p.m.; Dr. Elena Fuentes-Afflick, chief scientific officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges, and secretary of the National Academy of Medicine

The Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine ceremony

Dr. Elena Fuentes-Afflick earned her undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in public health from the University of California, Berkeley, before completing her pediatric residency and chief residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She completed a research fellowship at the UCSF Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, after which she stayed in the Bay Area as a UCSF School of Medicine professor of pediatrics. 

A former president of the American Pediatric Society and Society For Pediatric Research, member of the American Board of Pediatrics’ Board of Trustees, and elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fuentes-Afflick became the UCSF School of Medicine’s vice dean for academic affairs and faculty development before accepting the school’s vice dean role in 2022.