NC State University will hold its fall commencement ceremony for the class of 2025 at the Lenovo Center on Saturday, December 13, starting at 9 a.m. The event will recognize more than 3,000 graduates.
Stanhope Kelly, an economic leader and alumnus of NC State, has been selected as the commencement speaker. Kelly is known for his recent role as CEO and president of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, where he was responsible for developing the Carolina Core initiative. This project has brought significant investment from global industries to central North Carolina. Before this position, Kelly spent 34 years in management and executive roles at Wachovia Corp. and Wells Fargo.
Kelly graduated from NC State in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts in business management and later completed an Executive Development Program at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1993. He has contributed to community development through his service as director at Glen Raven Inc. and Front Street Capital. Additionally, he is involved with NC State’s Endowment Fund Board, serves on the board of directors for NCInnovation, and is executive chair of the Piedmont Triad Partnership board.
His achievements have been recognized by several organizations. In 2025, he received the Power Players Legacy Award from the Triad Business Journal. Other honors include receiving the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2022, Distinguished Citizenship Award from the NC Chamber in 2015, and Distinguished Citizen Award from Boy Scouts of America’s Old Hickory Council in 2014.
The ceremony will also feature remarks by Urwa Rashid, a transfer student graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology along with minors in biological sciences and English. Rashid is also an Eagle Scout.
For further details about the ceremony, information can be found on the university’s commencement website.
