Commencement Speakers

2025 Commencement Speakers

This May, about 1,060 students will receive their degrees over three days during Marymount University’s 2025 commencement ceremonies in its 75th anniversary year. The newest graduates of Marymount, Virginia’s first and only Hispanic-Serving Institution and the state’s most diverse private institution, will hear from three distinguished speakers—construction mogul Linda Rabbitt, philanthropist Constance Fernandez, and former Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.

Featured Speakers

Linda Rabbitt

Speaker for the College of Business, Innovation, Leadership, and Technology, May 16, 2025

Linda Rabbitt is the founder and executive chairman of Rand Construction Corporation, one of the top commercial general contractors in the D.C. metro area and the largest woman-founded, woman-owned commercial general contractor in the U.S. Since 1989, she has provided executive direction over all aspects of corporate and financial operations.

Rabbitt currently serves on the boards of Children’s National Hospital, the Economic Club of Washington, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, the Federal City Council, and HEROES, Inc. Previously, she served as chair or president of the Federal Reserve Bank’s 5th District, Greater Washington Board of Trade, Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), the Washington Building Congress (WBC), and the Washington chapter of the International Women’s Forum.

She is a trustee emerita at George Washington University, where she founded a program that teaches C-suite women the roles and responsibilities of corporate board directorship. Later, she created a similar program at Harvard Business School. Among her many accolades, she has been named one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in D.C.” by Washingtonian. She holds a master’s degree from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.

Constance Fernandez

Speaker for the College of Health and Education, May 17, 2025

Constance Tolevich Fernandez’s journey has been one of a diverse background in both professional and philanthropic endeavors. Throughout her career, she has held various corporate, management, and ownership positions across the Healthcare, Retail, and Restaurant industries. Most notably, her contributions to the community reflect her unwavering enthusiasm and commitment.

Currently, Constance serves on the Board of Trustees at Ransom Everglades School, where she has played a pivotal role in fundraising efforts, including chairing the successful $75 million STEM capital campaign. Additionally, she is a trustee at St. Thomas University and has previously served on the boards of the United Way and the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation. Her fundraising initiatives have significantly benefited institutions such as Baptist Hospital, Breakthrough, the Perez Art Museum, Miami Metro Zoo, UM-Sylvester Cancer Center, and the Miami Children’s Museum, along with numerous political causes.

She is the proud mother of Cristofer, a junior at Loyola Marymount University, and also embraces her role as stepmother and step-grandmother. Originally from Sterling Heights, Michigan, she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Business School and a Master of Arts in International Administration from the University of Miami. Her hobbies include riding and breeding Friesian horses at their ranch in Tallahassee, running, and reading. Constance is a member of the Ocean Reef and Fisher Island Clubs.

Together with her husband Miguel, she recognizes the critical importance of education and the vitality of healthcare, which are the primary focuses of The Miguel B. Fernandez Family Foundation.

Carlos Del Toro

Speaker for the College of Sciences and Humanities, May 18, 2025

Carlos Del Toro served as the 78th Secretary of the U.S. Navy from 2021-2025. In this role, he was responsible for over 900,000 Sailors, Marines, reservists, and civilian personnel, with an annual budget exceeding $210 billion to address the most pressing worldwide challenges confronting the Navy and Marine Corps.

Born in Cuba, he immigrated to the U.S. with his family as refugees and later received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. His 22-year naval career featured a series of critical appointments and numerous tours of duty at sea. These include serving as First Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Bulkeley guided missile destroyer, Senior Executive Assistant to the Director for Program Analysis and Evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Special Assistant to the Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. In the latter role, he helped manage the budgets of the Department of Defense, Department of State, CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, and the Peace Corps.

After retiring as Commander, Del Toro founded SBG Technology Solutions in 2004. As its CEO and president, he supported Department of Navy defense programs in shipbuilding, AI, cybersecurity, acquisition programs, space systems, health, and training.

He holds a master’s in national security studies from the Naval War College, a master’s in space systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a master’s in legislative affairs from George Washington University.

Alumni Speakers

Valerie Hunter ’03

Speaker for the College of Business, Innovation, Leadership, and Technology, May 16, 2025

Valerie Hunter ’03 is vice president of human resources at BAE Systems, a multinational aerospace, defense, and information security company. Experienced in strategy, project management, employee relations, and change management, she develops and executes human resource strategies in support of the company’s overall business plan and strategic direction. She also oversees the department’s budget and leadership development programs and functions as a business advisor to senior leaders.

Hunter was previously a human resources director at both BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman, in addition to prior roles that include HR consultant at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and benefits manager at US Airways.

She earned an M.A. in Human Resources Management from Marymount and is currently a member of the University’s Alumni Board. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Vassar College.

Donna Owen ’93

Speaker for the College of Health and Education, May 17, 2025

Donna Owen ’93 previously served as director of health services at Vinson Hall Military Retirement Community in McLean, Va., and had a 20-year career in the U.S. Army Medical Department. Her active-duty experience included roles at the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir, and Fort Knox, with U.S. Army Reserve stints at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. She was the first Army Reserve nurse in various active-duty positions and was the first Nurse Corps officer of any service assigned as the Deputy Director for Reserve Affairs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs).

After retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, Owen instructed nursing students at both Marymount and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). She is currently a member of the Sigma Theta Tau international nursing honor society, Army Nurse Corps Association, and American Association for the History of Nursing. She earned a master’s in Nursing from Marymount and holds a B.S.N. from D’Youville College.

Michael D. Smith ’01

Speaker for the College of Sciences and Humanities, May 18, 2025

From 2021-2025, Michael D. Smith ’01 served as the eighth CEO of AmeriCorps, the federal agency for community and national service, following his nomination by President Biden and confirmation by the U.S. Senate. During his tenure, he strengthened the agency’s focus on equity, impact, and uniting Americans through service while overseeing an annual budget of more than $1.3 billion and 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serving in 40,000 locations in every state and four U.S. territories.

The Marymount Communication graduate has a long history of dedication to public service, highlighted by his positions as special assistant to President Obama at the White House, executive director of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, and director of youth opportunity programs at the Obama Foundation. In these roles, Smith led efforts to reduce barriers and expand opportunities for boys and young men of color, their families, and other underserved youth.

In 2023, he received Marymount’s Distinguished Alumni Award representing the College of Sciences and Humanities. This Halo Award honors alumni with significant professional accomplishments and service to the community. Smith is also a TIME100 Climate and ForbesBLK 50 honoree, a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, and a Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, the highest honor bestowed by the organization.