Brooklyn’s Barclays Center hosts a new set of champions: 2,846 new Bachelors and Masters engineering graduates!

Fortune 500 CEO Bob Pragada to deliver keynote address at May 15th ceremony

In October 2024, the New York Liberty won their first WNBA championship at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. That same month, just down the road from their home arena, NYU’s first Executive Vice President for Science and Technology and NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Executive Dean Juan J. de Pablo arrived.  

Seven months later, on May 15th, the Barclays Center will host a new cohort of champions, marking de Pablo’s first commencement ceremony for NYU Tandon, which just last year celebrated its 170th anniversary.

Fortune 500 leader Bob Pragada, Chair and CEO of global infrastructure powerhouse Jacobs, will deliver the ceremony’s keynote address.

Pragada leads one of the world's largest providers of science-based consulting and advisory solutions, overseeing approximately 45,000 employees and $12 billion in annual revenue. His career journey from U.S. Naval officer to Fortune 500 CEO demonstrates the transformative impact engineers can have at the highest levels of global business.

Over the last 7 months, it has become very clear to me that I am fortunate to have joined the NYU community, and the biggest reason of all revolves around the students, who have entrusted us with their education. This year’s class is a perfect microcosm of our school, a cohort that celebrates various fields and excellence, while also coming from all over the country and world. NYU Tandon is truly a place where you can be born anywhere and Made in Brooklyn!”
— Juan J. de Pablo

"We are honored to have Bob Pragada address our graduates," added de Pablo. "His leadership in tackling complex critical infrastructure and sustainability challenges across multiple sectors exemplifies the meaningful impact we hope our graduates will achieve in their own careers."

"It is an incredible honor to address the graduating class of 2025 at NYU Tandon School of Engineering," said Pragada. "This commencement marks the beginning of many personal and professional growth opportunities, and it is a privilege to encourage these future engineers, entrepreneurs and leaders to embrace and discover their purpose, and the importance of lifelong relationships as they pursue their ambitions with kindness, resilience and brilliance."

The Class of 2025 — coined "the future makers" — represents a diverse cohort of talent ready to tackle society's most pressing challenges. The total number of degrees being granted in this year’s graduating class includes 103 doctoral students, more than 2,000 master's recipients, and over 700 undergraduates.

Computer Science and Engineering stands as the most represented field among the Class of 2025, with Electrical and Computer Engineering following closely behind. Today’s Tandon graduates are uniquely positioned to advance six strategic areas vital to both NYU Tandon and humanity’s future: Industrial, Urban, & Environmental Sustainability; Advanced Materials, Quantum Technologies & Integrated Systems and Devices; An Interconnected and Automated Future Powered by Artificial Intelligence; Engineering Health; Systems Engineering and Complex Decision-Making; and Engineering and Culture.

Also delivering remarks at the May 15th ceremony will be valedictorian Faris Gomaa, recipient of the Dean's Award for Outstanding Scholarship and a biomolecular science major who has distinguished himself through academic excellence and his innovative approach to bridging science and humanities.

The Class includes more than 200 students receiving other prestigious awards and prizes, spanning academic excellence, research innovation, leadership, and community service.

Executive Dean de Pablo emphasized the significance of this year’s celebration: "These graduates have developed not just technical expertise, but the critical thinking skills essential for innovation and meaningful impact in our increasingly complex world."

The NYU Tandon commencement ceremony follows NYU’s 192nd All-University Commencement Exercises that took place earlier in the day at Yankee Stadium. The speaker there was New York Times bestselling author, and NYU Tisch School of the Arts alumna Molly Shannon (’87), who received a Doctor of Fine Arts degree, honoris causa. Also receiving honors at Yankee Stadium this year were NYU School of Professional Studies alumna Keia Clarke (’06) — the chief executive officer of the New York Liberty — and revered science and higher education leader Dr. Walter E. Massey.

NYU Tandon has been integral to NYU's global network since a 2014 merger that built upon roots dating to 1854. From its campus in the heart of Brooklyn, NYU Tandon ensures students are prepared to create technology that advances healthcare solutions, powers cities, improves the environment, and builds a better world.