Stanford University will welcome back Katie Ledecky, a former student-athlete and the most decorated U.S. female Olympian of all time, as the Commencement 2025 speaker in June.

“Katie’s story reflects the spirit of Stanford. As a scholar, an athlete, a teammate, and a trailblazer, she models the power of staying curious and collaborative in pursuit of excellence,” said Stanford President Jonathan Levin. “Her accomplishments in the pool and beyond are a testament to her extraordinary drive and determination. She is an ideal speaker to encourage our graduates to redefine what is possible.” 

Ledecky, a 14-time Olympics medalist who graduated in 2020 with a major in psychology and a minor in political science, will address graduates and guests at the university’s 134th Commencement ceremony, which begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, June 15, in Stanford Stadium.

Last year, Ledecky – a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient – was among 59 Stanford Olympians in Paris, where Cardinal athletes won a school-record 39 medals. Her nine Olympic gold medals, including two in Paris, are the most won by any female swimmer in history and tie her for the most won by any female Olympian in history – from any country and across all sports.

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At Stanford, Ledecky worked in the Mind & Body Lab while helping build on the university’s legacy as one of the most competitive in collegiate sports. In the pool, coached by Greg Meehan, she set 11 U.S. records, won eight NCAA titles, and broke 15 NCAA records – while she and her Cardinal women’s swimming teammates captured back-to-back NCAA team championships and two Pac-12 Conference team championships.

“We are thrilled Katie Ledecky is our Commencement speaker,” said 2025 senior class presidents Jason Chen Lee, Danny Mottesi, Shreya Ramachandran, and Blaine Wells, who worked with the Office of the President to select her as speaker. “For the first time, we invited the senior class to participate in the nomination process through a survey, and Katie stood out as the clear favorite. She exemplifies the resilience, grit, and passion the Class of 2025 cherishes. Many members of our class named her as their dream speaker! A heartfelt thank you to our class for their input, the Stanford Alumni Association for their support, and the president’s office for facilitating this opportunity.”

Ledecky, who grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, enrolled at Stanford in 2017. In her best-selling memoir, Just Add Water (Simon & Schuster) in 2024, she wrote that her Stanford experience enabled her to train vigorously while exploring a range of academic pursuits: “I wanted to soak up all the knowledge I could in as many fields as were open to me.” 

In 2017, Ledecky was recognized with the Al Masters award – presented to the Stanford student-athlete who meets the highest standards of academics, leadership, and athletic performance – and was named the Division I Academic All-America Team Member of the Year across all NCAA sports.

“It will be with special joy that I address Stanford’s Commencement ceremony and celebrate in June with the graduates of the Class of 2025,” Ledecky said. “I was thrilled when President Levin and student leadership extended the invitation on behalf of the class. Stanford has played such a pivotal role in my educational and athletic life, and I look forward to honoring the graduates of the Class of 2025 as they dive into the next phases of their lives." 

The Commencement ceremony is part of a weekend-long celebration, scheduled for June 12-15, for graduates, family members, friends, and members of the Stanford community. For more information, visit the Commencement Weekend website.