Blake Witmer was named the University of Georgia’s 2026 spring Commencement student speaker, according to an April 27 announcement. Upon receiving the news, Witmer said she immediately called her family, all University of Georgia alumni and dedicated supporters.
Witmer said that being chosen to address the Class of 2026 is a meaningful opportunity to reflect on her college experience. “There’s not another college like this, where a place impossibly big can feel like home,” Witmer said. “This was exactly where I wanted to be, so being able to share my story and close this chapter is really special.”
Throughout her time at the university, Witmer participated in several organizations and programs. She spent three years with UGA Connect, part of the Student Government Association’s first-year program. Rising from member to director, she described how these relationships shaped her college career: “My peer leaders became my mentors, and my small group became like my kids,” she said. “And those relationships didn’t just last a semester. They lasted all of college.”
Witmer also served as a New Student Orientation leader—a role that runs in her family—and contributed as a content creator for the Division of Student Affairs’ social media accounts and as blog director for Strike Magazine. Her experiences led to internships in New York City through Grady College’s advertising and public relations Maymester program.
She encouraged students to seek out new opportunities during their studies: “There are so many opportunities that are going to come up. As long as you have an open mind, take full advantage of the things that come at you and put yourself out there, you’re going to have the best time,” she said.
Looking ahead after graduation with a degree in public relations and a minor in studio art, Witmer expressed confidence about facing future challenges: “The only error is not walking forth,” she said. “The worst thing that can happen is that you fail, and then you learn from it.”
