Bemidji State University celebrated its graduating class of 2025 — which included its largest ever class of 84 Native American graduates — during May 9 commencement ceremonies
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BSU’s Class of 2025 was recognized at a pair of May 9 ceremonies at Bemidji’s Sanford Center. Graduates of BSU’s College of Creativity, Enterprise & Place participated in a 10 a.m. ceremony, while graduates from programs in the College of Sciences and Health began their ceremony at 1 p.m.
Student Speakers
Darby Bersie, a graduating senior in history from Zimmerman, Minn., spoke to the morning graduates, while Faith Adedeiji, a nursing pre-licensure graduate from South Africa, addressed the afternoon graduates.
Bersie, BSU’s outgoing Student Senate president, invited graduates to reflect on what at the time may have seemed like the small moments on the journeys that brought them to this momentous day in their lives.
“Think about the quiet moments, the small risks, the firsts and lasts that added up to something bigger,” he said. “Think about where you began — because if there’s one thing I’ve learned at Bemidji State, it’s that greatness doesn’t come from a single moment. Greatness comes from small beginnings. And every one of those beginnings lays a brick—slowly, steadily—until you’ve built something solid enough to stand on.”
He told graduates that many times during his own journey, he had to remind himself that he, too, was building something greater that in the moment may have been difficult to see.
“You may have thought you were just getting by, but you were building—slowly, steadily,” he said. “Every moment of doubt. Every moment of connection. Every late-night text or group project or laugh at Eco Grounds—that was a brick. And now, you’re standing on something real.
“This isn’t just the end of something,” he sad. “It’s the beginning of whatever you’ll build next. You are ready.”
Adedeji also spoke of journeys, of the twists and turns and, perhaps, the occasional detours along the way that in spite of the challenges still delivered graduates to the same destination.
“Some have changed their career paths, some have taken breaks and many of us have battled with doubt about whether we would succeed and — yes — here we all are,” she said. “Every difficulty we overcame and every tear shed … all of this brought us to this very moment.
“Each of us have put in immense work to make this possible and we should be incredibly proud,” she said.
She also encouraged graduates to reflect on their pasts and to appreciate the people who had supported and guided them along the way. She cautioned graduates against comparing themselves to others, and to see the value and strength in their own stories.
“As we step into what’s next, it is easy to compare our journeys to others—to feel behind or unsure,” she said. “One of my favorite authors, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said, ‘Your silence will not protect you.’ While that speaks to many things, today I think it reminds me that our story matters. Our journey, in all its uniqueness, is worth speaking, celebrating and continuing.”
BSU President John L. Hoffman
Dr. John L. Hoffman, president of BSU and Northwest Technical College, reminded graduates that the stories they had created during their college years within the halls and walls of the campus and the land and water of the surrounding community and region were leading them into a new world — a world where they were joining a community of 50,000 BSU graduates who came before them.
“They, too, overcame amazing odds and hurdles to get to this space,” he said. “They had faculty and staff who went an extra mile to invest in them to help them succeed. But our alumni will also tell you that next part of the story, the Bemidji State story. Because what ties every BSU story together is this: BSU changes the lives of people who change lives.”
He reminded graduates that BSU’s history as a Normal School focused on teacher education grounded it in the belief that college is for everyone.
“We know that each one of you has talents and gifts and abilities that our society needs,” he said. “And your talents and gifts and abilities are tied to your unique identities and cultures, your families and your life experiences.”
He asked gathered graduates to remember the lessons learned from the stories they will tell about their time at BSU and apply those lessons to the lives and careers ahead of them.
“Remember the relationships, the friendships, the involvement, the leadership. Take that as you create families and build communities,” he said. “Give back, pay it forward and live lives that will lead the world, the land, the water, the walls, the halls and the people within to be better off tomorrow than they are today.”
The 2025 Distinguished Minnesotan
Robert Anderson, J.D., a 1980 BSU graduate and former solicitor for the U.S. Department of the Interior during the Biden Administration, spoke to graduates as the recipient of BSU’s Distinguished Minnesotan Award.
Anderson encouraged BSU’s Class of 2025 to consider and appreciate their own journeys — recounting how his own journey to Bemidji began nearly 50 years ago, hitchhiking along Highway 2.
“I was told this speech should last about 10 minutes, which is just about how long it took me back in 1978 to realize that hitchhiking back and forth from Ely to Bemidji in the middle of winter was not an awesome idea,” he said.
That rough start was one of several Anderson relayed to the gathered graduates, but that he was proof that the perseverance to overcome challenges could lead to great rewards.
“The fact that I had gotten a high-quality education here at Bemidji State stuck with me through all of my nights in law school,” he said. “Through my early career as a lawyer, when I was writing briefs late into the night, when I was in meetings on Indian issues and I was the only Native in the room and my voice felt very lonely.
“But that belief in my education and the fact that I had done the work here to lay a strong foundation stayed with me in boardrooms, classrooms and later when I was asked to help shape national policy at the Department of the Interior,” he said.
He said his journey demonstrated that graduates did not need a perfect plan — but they needed to take steps to ensure they led meaningful lives.
“What you need is purpose, a community that believes in you and you need the courage to keep showing up day after day, especially when the road is long, the weather is cold and you feel like no one is ever going to stop and give you a ride,” he said.
“I hope you leave this ceremony with pride, gratitude and fire in your belly. You are entering a world that desperately needs your ideas, your creativity and your courage,” he said. “You might not know what’s next. That’s okay. Every day is a new adventure.”
First presented by Bemidji State University in 1981, the Distinguished Minnesotan Award acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States. The Distinguished Minnesotan traditionally delivers BSU’s Commencement address.
Greeting from the Board of Trustees
George Soule, chair of the Board of Trustees for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, shared remarks meant to “celebrate your achievements, but also to renew our support for public higher education in Minnesota.”
He called Bemidji State University “a jewel in our system” and congratulated graduates for their success.
“Graduates, you are — and will be — living proof of the value of higher education,” he said. “Not just dollars and cents, but by the friends and family you’ve made, the experiences you’ve had and the learning and growth that you have experienced inside and outside of the classroom. These will last a lifetime.”
Welcome to the Alumni Association
Graduates were welcomed into the community of BSU alumni by Jake Richmann, founder and chair of the BeBlessed Foundation and a second-generation BSU alumnus.
He encouraged graduates to consider that their legacy will come from what they create and leave behind, and not necessarily by what they accomplish.
“We live in a world that measures success in followers, in titles, in likes, in hustle,” he said. “But let me tell you something from the real world—legacy isn’t what you keep, it’s what you leave. You’re stepping into a world that will challenge you. It’ll stretch you. It will, at times, frustrate you. But it will also reward you. And the most important things — your values, your impact, your relationships — those will define you far more than any job title ever will.”
His advice to graduates was to build something that outlives them and ensure their legacy serves others; to put people over everything and focus on building relationships with others; and to give back, with time, talent or treasure, and to do so “early and often.”
“Generosity fuels purpose,” he said, “And purpose outlasts ambition, every time.”
Class of 2025 By the Numbers
BSU’s class of 2025 earned:
- 80 graduate degrees
- 760 bachelor of science degrees
- 96 bachelor of arts degrees
- 52 bachelor of applied science degrees
- 6 bachelor of fine arts degrees
- 20 associate’s degrees
- 51 certificates
A total of 444 graduates were recognized for graduating with academic honors:
- 161 students graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors
- 156 students graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors
- 127 students graduated with Cum Laude honors
BSU also recognized 12 graduates of its McNair Scholars program and nine graduates of its Honors Program. In addition, 37 military veterans or active-duty service members and 14 international students representing 10 nations earned degrees.
Academic Honors
Graduating students are recognized for outstanding academic achievement through their careers by being granted commencement honors. This practice dates back to Europe’s earliest colleges and universities in the 13th Century. Summa Cum Laude is the highest honor, denoting a student who graduates with an overall grade-point average of 3.90 or higher. Magna Cum Laude honors are bestowed on graduates with GPAs of no less than 3.75 but less than 3.90. Cum Laude honors are bestowed on graduates with GPAs between 3.50 and 3.75.
Fall classes begin Monday, August 25, 2025. To learn more or to register for classes, visit BemidjiState.edu.