Saint Mary’s College President Katie Conboy announced the keynote speaker for the College’s 179th commencement ceremony, as well as recipients who will be receiving an honorary degree and the President’s Medal on May 16 at Le Mans Green. The statement was provided to Saint Mary’s students and faculty through an email Monday afternoon.
Anne Thompson, who serves as the chief environmental affairs correspondent at NBC News, will be delivering the commencement speech for the class of 2026 and receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters. She worked as a general assignment reporter at WNDU-TV while a student at Notre Dame, graduating in 1983. Since 2010, she has served as part of the University’s Board of Trustees and in 2019 received the Rev. Edward Fredrick Sorin, C.S.C., Award, one of the University’s highest honors, for her work and service to the institution.
“Anne Thompson has been an inspiring role model for women for many years,” Conboy stated in the announcement. “As a veteran correspondent, her distinguished and award-winning portfolio includes reporting on complex topics ranging from the environment, to the papacy, to the Boston Marathon bombing, among others. Her story, her experience, and her perspective as a leading woman’s voice in broadcast journalism will resonate with our graduates and the Commencement audience. We are pleased to confer upon her the degree of Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.“
Her stories have been featured on the Today Show, NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas and NBC News Now, where she covered environmental and economic topics. She has reported on the election of Pope Leo XIV and the 2000 presidential campaign coverages of former Sen. Bill Bradley and former Sen. John McCain.
Thompson was nominated for four Emmy awards during her time as NBC News’ chief financial correspondent from 2005 to 2007 alone and won five others through her position as a correspondent. Other notable accomplishments from Thompson include winning the Gerald Loeb Award and the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Journalism Award for her follow coverage on Hurricane Katrina.
Colombian Chemist Jennifer Holmgren, the CEO of LanzaTech Global, a carbon recycling company that uses carbon emissions to create sustainable products, will be awarded a doctorate degree of science for her work. In her role, she has steered the company to develop alternative jet fuel, which led to the creation of LanzaJet. She formerly served as the vice president and general manager of the Renewable Energy and Chemicals business unit at Honeywell UOP, where she oversaw alternative aviation biofuels.
Holmgren obtained her bachelor’s degree in 1981 from Harvey Mudd College and later earned her doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in addition to her master’s of business administration from the University of Chicago. She is involved in 30 scientific publications as an author and co-author and has served on various boards and councils in leadership or as a member.
Her notable accolades includes the 2021 Edison Achievement Award for excellence in innovative designs, the William C. Holmberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Bioeconomy from Biofuels Digest in 2017 and being featured in Time Magazine’s TIME100 Climate 2023 list.
Conboy will also be awarding the President’s Medal to Carmi and Chris Murphy for their work and contributions toward the local community. Carmi has been a part of Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees for 15 nonconsecutive years. During her two terms, she advised on the 2003 Presidential Search Committee following former President Carol Ann Mooney’s tenure and the Down the Avenue Steering Committee that recognized students in local volunteering. She follows her mother and aunt in being an honorary recipient and serving within these committees. The College made her an honorary alumna, class of 2011, for her contributions to the academic institution.
Carmi and Chris have previously donated funds to the Murphy Faculty Award for Senior Comprehensive Mentorship and toward the establishment of Murphy’s Cafe at Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex. In 2013, they were inducted into the South Bend Community Hall of Fame and were honored with the Rev. Edward Frederick Sorin, C.S.C., Award last year for their involvement and philanthropy in local projects, such as the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art.
