The Harcum College Class of 2024 will celebrate their achievements at the college’s 108th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 11, at 11:00 AM.

This year’s Commencement Speaker is Thomas P. Foley, J.D., President of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), which represents 89 independent, non-profit colleges and universities across the state. Foley is the Author of over 150 published articles and has keynoted more than 300 events in Pennsylvania. He has testified before governmental bodies in Harrisburg, Belfast, Dublin, and Washington and served in state and national leadership positions in voluntary service, education, workforce development, and public policy.

A devoted public servant, Foley’s early volunteer efforts with the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Peace People in Belfast marked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to service and advocacy for peace and justice. Since then, he has also held leadership roles in nonprofits like the Red Cross and United Way of Pennsylvania, two of the largest volunteer-based organizations in Pennsylvania.

Foley also has a strong background in public policy, having served in both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. He served as Pennsylvania’s youngest Secretary of Labor and Industry, where he played a pivotal role in creating a network of job centers. He continued this work at the national level with the U.S. Department of Labor.

Foley began his own educational journey as a first-generation college student, earning degrees from prestigious institutions like Dartmouth College, University College Dublin, and Yale Law School. He remains committed to expanding educational opportunities for all students, having championed early childhood education initiatives and serving as President of Mount Aloysius College, known for its work with low-income students.

Foley’s accomplishments have earned him numerous accolades. He is a Top 100 Irish American in both education and law, a recipient of the Liberty Bell Award, and holds three honorary degrees.

In addition to delivering the keynote, Foley will be awarded an honorary doctorate during the ceremony by Harcum President Jon Jay DeTemple. The ceremony will be held on the Great Lawn of the Academic Center at Harcum College (750 Montgomery Avenue, Bryn Mawr).

Learn more at Harcum College. Founded by Edith Hatcher Harcum in 1915, the Harcum College has empowered generations of students by preparing them for dignified, remunerative, socially useful work. Providing tangible possibilities for individual success remains a central purpose of Harcum – “The College of Possibilities.”