St. Johnsbury Academy Announces the 2026 Commencement Speaker
Headmaster Dr. Sharon Howell is happy to announce that United States Senator Peter Welch will be St. Johnsbury Academy’s 2026 Commencement Speaker.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be invited to provide the commencement address honoring St. Johnsbury Academy’s class of 2026. I look forward to joining this next generation and their families, in celebrating their great achievements,” said Senator Welch. “It is a highlight of my work as a Senator to meet young Vermonters and young Americans as they begin their next chapters—I’m always inspired by their determination to change their communities and the world for the better.”
Dr. Howell shared her excitement over the news that Senator Welch agreed to be the commencement speaker: “Peter Welch has been a champion of the Northeast Kingdom and clear in his appreciation for both St. Johnsbury Academy and the St. Johnsbury community. He has strong convictions about how people should treat one another as neighbors, Vermonters, and Americans, and he is as good a role model as I can imagine for our young people going into the world at this moment in our history. We are so fortunate that he is joining us to celebrate our 184th Commencement.”
U.S. Senator Peter Welch has spent the bulk of his life working to improve the lives of rural Vermonters and Americans, who too often get left behind. After working in Chicago to fight housing discrimination, Welch enrolled in law school at the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated in 1973. He then settled in White River Junction, Vermont, where he worked as a public defender before founding a small law practice. He was first elected to represent Windsor County in the Vermont Senate in 1980. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served for 16 years before being elected to the Senate in 2022. Senator Welch serves on the Senate Finance Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Agriculture Committee, and Senate Rules Committee.
St. Johnsbury Academy’s Commencement Exercises will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 1, 2026.
