According to a press release from Ball State University, Kayla Davion, a 2017 Ball State University graduate will serve as the 2025 Spring Commencement Speaker.
Davion is best known for her work on the Broadway stage, according to the release. "Ms. Davion made history by becoming the first Ball State student to book a Broadway show—the Tony-nominated Waitress—before graduating. She has since graced both Broadway and Off-Broadway stages, most notably portraying Tina Turner in the hit musical Tina: The Tina Turner Musical."
Kayla personifies the enduring values of our University,” said Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns in the release, “Since the day she left our campus, she has made her mark in the world of theater. She is an excellent role model for our students, because she combines her talent, integrity, and hard work to be successful.”
Since graduating, Ms. Davion has returned multiple times to Ball State to teach and to perform, as she did most recently at the 2023 launch of the University’s “Our Call to Beneficence” comprehensive fundraising campaign.
Ms. Davion said she was honored to be invited by President Mearns to speak at this year’s Spring Commencement, according to the release.
“I said yes because I believe it is my duty to remind Ball State students that who they believe they are right now is the answer to their greatness,” Ms. Davion said. “I want to encourage them to embark on the journey that awaits them with tenacity and grace.”
Ball State will confer approximately 2,800 doctoral, specialist, master’s, and baccalaureate degrees during the University-wide gathering, according to the release.
The event will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, in the Quad, followed by individual college celebrations throughout the day at Worthen Arena and Emens Auditorium.
For more information about Ball State’s Spring Commencement, including ceremony times and locations, as well as travel and parking information, visit www.bsu.edu/commencement.
For comment, contact the Daily News via email at editor@bsudailynews.com
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