Laurene Powell Jobs will deliver the keynote address at USC Iovine and Young Academy’s commencement ceremony on May 16, 2025.

Laurene is an entrepreneur and the Founder and President of Emerson Collective, a company that has pioneered a new model for impact since 2011. By combining philanthropy with venture capital investments in entrepreneurs and innovators, Laurene believes we can dramatically increase our chances of solving some of the world’s most complex challenges. And she believes that if we create lasting solutions in areas like education, economic mobility, immigration, and the environment, we can create a world of abundance for future generations.

Laurene is also the founder of the Waverley Street Foundation, a spend-down fund that invests in solutions emerging from communities experiencing the worst effects of climate change. She is the founder and board chair of College Track, which helps more students become the first in their family to graduate from college. And she is cofounder and board chair of the XQ Institute, which equips American high schools to become centers of innovation and rigorous learning.

Laurene is the lead investor and board chair of The Atlantic, and serves on the boards of Chicago CRED, The Council on Foreign Relations, Elemental Impact, and The Ford Foundation. She is a member of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences and a recipient of Stanford Graduate School of Business’s Ernest C. Arbuckle Award.

“Laurene Powell Jobs has pioneered structures that merge creativity, technology and innovation to drive social impact at scale,” said Thanassis Rikakis, dean of USC Iovine and Young Academy. “We’re thrilled to have her as our 2025 commencement speaker to ignite our students as they become the next generation of thought leaders and change makers.” 

Laurene Powell Jobs Announced as USC Iovine and Young Academy 2025 Commencement Speaker