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SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 13, 2026—Drawing upon a life of political wins and losses and shifting professional roles, Dee Dee Myers ’83 advised Santa Clara University’s largest-ever graduating class to focus not on winning, but on pursuing work that has meaning, purpose, and the possibility of making a difference. 

“The purpose, the meaning, even the joy in life—it comes from believing in something, from committing to it, from working for it, to being part of something bigger than yourselves,” said Myers, who served as the first woman White House Press Secretary for President Bill Clinton and now advises California Governor and fellow Bronco Gavin Newsom ’89. “Even when you don’t always win. Because you know what? Nobody always wins.”

Santa Clara University President Julie Sullivan reminded the Class of 2026 that she joined Santa Clara the same year they did, and said she’d enjoyed getting to learn their intellectual, personal, and values-based strengths. “You lead with heart. And you often led the way at Santa Clara—with your respectful voices, your keen intellect, and your inner strength and discipline, and maybe most importantly, with your radical empathy,” she said. 

In her address, speaker Myers shared how her time at Santa Clara changed both her academic trajectory—from biology to politics—as well as her approach to work. 

“It wasn’t just academics. It was something deeper. It was Santa Clara’s Jesuit values—the belief that we have a responsibility to each other, that we have an obligation to try to make the world a better place—that took hold with me,” said Myers, whose role as senior advisor to Newsom and director of his Office of Business and Economic Development ends in six months. “I have no idea what I’m going to do next. And that’s okay. Because the battle—for what you want, for what you believe, for who you are—it’s never over; it’s never won. It’s ongoing. It’s messy. It requires resilience. But it’s also what gives life meaning.” 

The Class of 2026 comprises 1,781 graduation-eligible students, the largest ever for a Santa Clara University graduating class. 

Several graduating students received awards for their outstanding achievements, service to others, and significant contributions to the University, including:

• Claire Krebs ’26 received the St. Clare Medal, awarded for outstanding academic achievement, personal character, and extensive contributions to the SCU community.
• Jalen Paige ’26 received the Nobili Medal, awarded for campus leadership and equity initiatives.
• Gabrielle Pitre ’26 received the Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. Award, given by the president to a graduating senior who exemplifies the ideals of Jesuit education, especially being a “whole person of solidarity in the real world” and having the courage and faith to build a more just and humane world.
• Megan Baldemor ’26, Samantha Lei ’26, Juana Melgoza ’26, and Jasmine Vu ’26 each received the Richard J. Riordan Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions in the area of community service.
• Juan Marin Melo ’26, Ryan Rani ’26, Sophia Standard ’26, and Sean Tsang ’26 were presented with Student Life Awards to recognize their contributions to the overall quality of life in the University community.
• Jacklyn Alonza Heredia ’26, Sahana Kumar ’26, Julissa Martinez ’26, Oluwatomisin Opaleye ’26, and Dylan Ryu ’26 each received the Gracelyn Bateman Award for Inclusive Excellence, which recognizes graduating seniors dedicated to promoting a positive and inclusive environment by living and practicing Santa Clara’s vision to build a more humane, just, and sustainable world.
• Alicia Nelson ’26 and Rachel Lin-Piestrup ’26 received the 2026 Neider Family Alumni Service Award, which provides financial support to seniors who are leaving Santa Clara and going directly into a service program or project.

This year’s valedictorian was Charles Silver ’26, a management major in the Leavey School of Business who was an Ignatian Fellow and member of the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society, and the Leavey Scholars Program. In his address, he spoke about the importance of “community” as the newest “C” added to Santa Clara’s traditional three C’s of competence, conscience, and compassion. 

“The Jesuit tradition calls us to build a more humane, just, and sustainable world,” said Silver, who was a leader in the Into the Wild student organization. “I think that in practice this means caring enough about the person in front of you to make them feel like they matter.” 

Santa Clara fostered that sense of belonging, he said. 

“We are about to leave a place that made room for us. The belonging we found wasn’t an accident. Somebody built it for us,” he said. “Someone decided we were worth their time without making us prove it. Take that with you.”

About Santa Clara University
Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University sits in the heart of Silicon Valley — the world’s most innovative and entrepreneurial region. The University’s stunningly landscaped 106-acre campus is home to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís. Ranked among the top 15 percent of national universities by U.S. News & World Report, Santa Clara has among the best four-year graduation rates in the nation and is rated by PayScale in the top 1 percent of universities with the highest-paid graduates. The University has produced elite levels of Fulbright Scholars as well as four Rhodes Scholars. With undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, and graduate programs in six disciplines, the curriculum blends high-tech innovation with social consciousness grounded in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education.

Media Contact
Deborah Lohse | Santa Clara University Media Communications | dlohse@scu.edu | 408-554-5121