Mercersburg Academy honored 134 members of the Class of 2025 during the school’s 132nd Commencement exercises Saturday, May 24, on the traditional Commencement platform between Keil Hall and South Cottage. 

Tahir Hasanov ’25 of Toronto, Canada, delivered the valedictorian address, and Grace Chi ’25 of Palo Alto, CA, gave the salutatorian address. 

Paul Suhey ’10 was the invited speaker. He was joined by Head of School Quentin McDowell P ’25, ’27, Board of Regents President Tom Hadzor ’72, and Nevin Orators Reagan Houpt ’25 of Mercersburg, PA, and Crystal Chiu ’25 of Hong Kong, who represented the class.

See a replay of the ceremony.

Salutatorian Chi talked to her classmates about the importance of being real and showing up as their true selves. 

“Real growth starts when someone else sees you clearly, sometimes even before you see yourselves,” Chi said. “When you show up as your full self, you give others the permission to do the same. That’s how we’ve grown here–by learning from each other’s honesty. Mercersburg didn’t just teach us how to grow. It taught us how to see each other. So, let’s keep doing that. Wherever we go next. Show up. Be real. Let someone else feel seen. That’s how we carry this place with us.”

Valedictorian Hasanov challenged members of the Class of 2025 to be mindful of how they see themselves.

“It’s not just the cliché that you can be anything you want to be,” Hasanov said. “It’s something deeper, less flashy, something that quietly and subconsciously influences the choices we make every single day. The story we believe about ourselves shapes who we become.”

Paul Suhey ’10, a Mercersburg alum who is cofounder and chief operating officer of Revel, a New York City-based electric vehicle rideshare platform, encouraged the graduates to avoid judging others by their appearance.

“One of the most important habits you can build is learning to evaluate people based on their ideas, not the labels they wear, the group they’re in, or the tribe that someone else said that they belong to,” Suhey said. “Labels are shortcuts, but they’re lazy ones.”

After Suhey addressed the graduates, McDowell presented him with Mercersburg’s 2025 Young Alumni Leadership Award.

Nevin Orator Houpt compared the students to pieces of a puzzle, and said the Class of 2025 should realize that Mercersburg has not necessarily shaped them. They are the ones who shaped Mercersburg.

“I live in town, only about a mile away from campus. When my classmates left for summer vacation, it was like Mercersburg ceased to exist,” Houpt said. “When I say I love Mercersburg, what I mean is that I love the people who make up our community.

“No matter how far we stray from campus, part of us will always belong to Mercersburg–the pieces of a puzzle always belong to the same puzzle, regardless of distance.”

Nevin Orator Chiu reminded her classmates to not be too hard on themselves. 

“After all, if we’d never say something cruel to a friend, why do we say it to ourselves?” Chiu said. “Resilience doesn’t mean never breaking. It doesn’t mean keeping everything inside or carrying every burden alone. Being strong doesn't mean being silent. Sometimes, the most courageous thing you can do is to give yourself some grace and ask for help. To not be so harsh on yourself. To lean on someone. To let yourself rest.”

This year’s class marshals were Adrian Rios ’25 of Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, and Louisa Gunkelman ’25 of Mercersburg, PA. Senior Class President Yiting Sun ’25 of Frederick, MD, presented the class gift, a donation to the Annual Fund. 

Students will matriculate at more than 85 different colleges and universities, including Boston University, Brown University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northwestern University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Tennessee, Tufts University, the United States Naval Academy, and the University of Virginia. 

View a list of prizes awarded at Commencement.

On Friday, May 23 (the evening preceding Commencement), seniors participated in the traditional Baccalaureate ceremony in the Irvine Memorial Chapel. History Faculty Member Rich Heffron delivered the Baccalaureate address. He encouraged the graduates to care, to be curious, and to not be afraid to get lost.

“Life is not linear,” Heffron said. “It is filled with twists and turns, obstacles and difficulties, so don’t wait for a clear path ahead because this may only reveal itself when you look back.” 

See a replay of the Baccalaureate service.

Learn more about speakers Suhey and Heffron.

School carillonneur James Brinson gave a recital on the Chapel’s Swoope carillon one hour prior to both Baccalaureate and Commencement. 

For additional information about the weekend, visit www.mercersburg.edu/commencement-weekend.