Prelude
Toccata in D minor, BWV 538
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Dr. Daniel E. Schwandt
University Organist and Lecturer of Music
Musical Selection
Signore Ascolta from Turandot
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Ava Wadia ’26, soprano
Isaac Epley ’27, piano
Land Acknowledgement
Meralis N. Alvarez-Morales '22, Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Program
Welcome Remarks & Introduction of Astead Herndon
Jesús Gregorio Smith, Associate Professor and Chair of Ethnic Studies
Convocation Address
Astead Herndon
Host and Editorial Director, Vox
Postlude
Fanfare for Organ
Richard Proulx (1937-2010)
Dr. Daniel E. Schwandt
University Organist and Lecturer of Music
Speaker Biography
As a host and editorial director at Vox, Astead Herndon helps lead politics coverage across text, video, audio, and social media platforms. Herndon comes to Vox from the New York Times, where he distinguished himself as a sharp, accessible voice on American politics, hosting The Run-Up podcast and reporting stories in text, audio, and video formats. His reporting is known for translating complex political dynamics into clear, nuanced stories that resonated with both political insiders and those outside the political bubble.
Herndon has been named the 2025 Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists, and he also won the Distinguished Journalist Award from DePaul University in 2025. He lives in Brooklyn.
Notices
- As a courtesy to the artists and to those in attendance, please be aware that sounds such as whispering and the rustling of paper and cellophane wrappers are magnified in the hall.
- Please silence all cell phones and other electronic devices during convocations.
- Convocations may not be recorded, photographed, or broadcast without the written consent of the speaker and Â鶹ӰԺ University.
- Bag lunches for students, faculty & staff will be available to go in the Music-Drama Center lobby following the Convocation.
- Please refrain from talking during all musical selections.
An American Sign Language interpreter will be available and located on the stage.
For more information, please see the Convocation Series.
We collectively acknowledge that Â鶹ӰԺ University is situated on the ancestral homelands of the Menominee and Ho-Chunk people.