Skip Kalb to deliver 2025 Commencement address at Baker University

Baker University will honor undergraduate and graduate students at two commencement ceremonies on Sunday, May 18, at the George F. Collins Jr. Sports and Convention Center on the Baldwin City Campus.

Skip Kalb, class of 1973, member of the Baker University Board of Trustees, and former director of strategic development for the BNSF Railway, will take the stage as this year’s Commencement speaker. He brings more than four decades of leadership in the rail and logistics industries and a lifelong connection to Baker University.

A Baldwin City native and proud Wildcat, Kalb earned a degree in biology and chemistry while also balancing his time as a campus leader, student-athlete, and president of his fraternity. After graduating from Baker, Kalb earned an MBA from the University of Kansas and then went on to play a key role in shaping the infrastructure and logistics that redefined transportation networks across the country.

Kalb is deeply honored to have been asked to address the graduates on Sunday. “It means the world to me,” he said. “I grew up here, went to high school here, and always wanted to go to Baker. To be selected as a commencement speaker at any university is a big deal—and to do it at Baker makes it even more special.”

Kalb’s Baker education laid the groundwork for a successful career in strategic development, where he helped lead major initiatives for BNSF Railway. “Critical thinking and strategic thinking—those are the big things I took with me,” he said. “You don’t get locked in here. You think on your own and learn how to explain that thinking to others. That’s the benefit of Baker University.”

Celebrating May 2025 and December 2024 Graduates

The 1 p.m. ceremony will recognize undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, and School of Nursing.

The 4 p.m. ceremony will confer associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees from the School of Professional and Graduate Studies, master’s and doctoral degrees from the School of Education, and master’s degrees from the School of Nursing.

Please note: Seating inside George F. Collins Jr. Sports and Convention Center is limited. Graduates should refer to their Commencement communications for specific details. Overflow guests will be directed to Rice Auditorium (404 Eighth Street), where they will be able to view a livestream of the ceremony.