Etsy CEO Josh Silverman Speaks at 2025 Pace University Commencement

Standing before thousands of graduates and their supporters at Pace University’s Commencement, Etsy CEO Josh Silverman urged the Class of 2025 to embrace change, pursue purpose, and think entrepreneurially—no matter their field of study.

Speaking to roughly 19,600 people including 3,218 graduates at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, Silverman reflected on two decades of building global platforms, sharing lessons from his journey through roles at companies including eBay, Skype, and Etsy, where he currently leads a marketplace of more than 8 million sellers worldwide.

“The diploma you’re about to receive offers you a life of choice,” said Silverman. “The only person you should be trying to impress now is yourself. Don’t be a passive actor in your own life. How do you want to measure yourself? What would make you truly proud?”

“Sitting here, you may not be able to clearly see the opportunities ahead,” he continued, “but you will seize them, shape them, and even create them.”

Silverman, who received an honorary doctorate, was among many highlights throughout the two days that included five ceremonies, student speakers, a food village, music, and lots of Commencement festivities.

Monday’s undergraduate ceremonies featured several distinguished speakers: Golden Globe–nominated actor Cooper Koch ’18 addressed graduates of Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, the Sands College of Performing Arts, and the School of Education. Dr. Launette Woolforde ’93, deputy chief nursing officer at Northwell Health, spoke to graduates of the Lubin School of Business, College of Health Professions, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems and received a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

The celebration continued Tuesday with graduate and professional school ceremonies, including the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, which recently earned the No. 1 ranking for Environmental Law by U.S. News & World for the fifth consecutive Year.

New York City Fire Commissioner Robert S. Tucker ’96 received honorary degrees during that ceremony. Commissioner Tucker who attended Pace Law School at night and graduated a semester early, described the moment as his own long-awaited Commencement. He reflected on his path in public service and the values that have guided his lifelong commitment to leadership and community.

“Leadership is not about titles or power or prestige,” Tucker said. “It's about service, or serving others with integrity, compassion, and a sense of duty. It's about doing what's right, even when it's hard, and it's about taking responsibility for the communities you serve.”

Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi, America’s most-watched free TV and movie streaming service, addressed graduates of Pace’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems and received an honorary doctorate. Pace also awarded Lorelei Atalie Vargas, chief community impact officer at Trinity Church in lower Manhattan, with its Opportunitas in Action Award.

The student recipient of this year’s Opportunitas Award, Dante Hurr, is a first-generation college graduate from Washington, D.C., who earned his degree in computer science from the Seidenberg School.

“Everything I’ve accomplished here at Pace helped me understand the real meaning of our mission: Opportunitas,” Hurr said. “If not for the opportunity I was given the moment I was accepted — with a scholarship and with belief — who knows where I’d be today. Certainly not up here, holding the first bachelor’s degree in my family.”

During the main ceremony, Pace President Marvin Krislov reminded students that their education carries both opportunity and responsibility.

“You carry more than a degree — you carry a promise,” President Krislov said. “A promise to your family, to yourselves, and to the Pace community. A promise to keep learning, to stay curious, to lead with empathy, to use your education not just for you to advance, but to bring others along with you.”

“Stay open. Stay resilient. Keep asking, ‘What can I do?” he continued. “Because higher education does more than just prepare you for a job. It does more than prepare you for a career. It prepares you to ask hard questions that will make your life meaningful, to help build strong communities, to speak up, and to carry forward the work of justice and truth.”

Students celebrating this exciting achievement were a mix of undergraduate, graduate, law, and doctoral students, spanning a variety of disciplines and future careers, such as nurses and physician assistants, cybersecurity experts, lawyers, accountants, teachers, performers, and much more.

Number of graduates by Ceremony

Undergraduate Degrees

• Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Sands College of Performing Arts, and School of Education: 623

• College of Health Professions, Lubin School of Business, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems: 559

Graduate Degrees

• Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Professions, Lubin School of Business, and School of Education: 876
• Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems: 875

Elisabeth Haub School of Law

• Including JD degrees, Master of Laws in Comparative Legal Studies, Master of Laws in Environmental Studies, Doctor of Juridical Science: 284