March 12, 2025
Emmy Award–winning filmmaker Baktash Ahadi will deliver the keynote address at Susquehanna University’s 167th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 10, at 1 p.m. in the Robert I. Estill Field House in the James W. Garrett Sports Complex.
Ahadi, a director, producer and writer, has dedicated his career to addressing critical global issues, focusing on themes like migration, conflict and the struggles of underserved communities. His work has earned him multiple awards for his contributions to documentary filmmaking and public service.
“Susquehanna’s mission is to educate students for productive, creative and reflective lives of achievement, leadership and service in a diverse, dynamic and interdependent world,” said University President Jonathan Green. “Through the work Baktash is doing to elevate global concerns that affect all of us, he is a living exemplar of these values. I look forward to hearing his insightful and timely message to Susquehanna’s Class of 2025.”
A 2005 graduate of Susquehanna University, Ahadi also holds a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. His career has taken him around the world, from serving in the Peace Corps in Mozambique to working as an interpreter and cultural advisor for the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan. He has also held leadership positions in training and development for the U.S. Department of State.
Through his work as the founder of the Taleem Project, Ahadi has collaborated with major organizations like McKinsey & Company, NatGeo, the State Department, TIME Magazine, Paramount Pictures and The New York Times. Through powerful storytelling and engaging conversations about identity, purpose and imagination, Ahadi aims to shift perspectives, cultivate empathy and build a more connected and understanding world.