These celebrities are lined up to speak at N.J. college commencements

New Jersey’s annual commencement season, noteworthy for drawing a wide range of celebrity speakers and academic stars offering guidance for new graduates, gets underway this weekend.

Commencements at the state’s four-year colleges and universities will be held throughout month, starting with Rowan and Centenary universities on Saturday and ending with a May 28 ceremony at New Jersey City University.

This year’s celebrity speakers include: “Dawson’s Creek” actor James Van Der Beek; YouTube star Marques Brownlee; astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson; and musician Tariq Trotter, the artist better known as Black Thought who co-founded the group The Roots. (See the full list of commencement speakers below.)

Multiple former U.S presidents — including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson — have spoken at commencements in New Jersey over the years.

Stevie Wonder performed several songs, including “I Just Called To Say I Love You,” after receiving an honorary degree at Rutger University in 1999. Actor Bruce Willis and baseball legend Yogi Berra both spoke at Montclair State University’s commencement in 1996.

Below are speakers announced as of Thursday for commencement ceremonies scheduled at the state’s four-year colleges and universities. Some schools have not announced a speaker yet or may not have a guest commencement speaker this year.

Bloomfield College

Speakers: None announced

Date: Saturday, May 18, at 12:30 p.m.

Location: College Quadrangle

Caldwell University

Speakers: None announced

Dates: Saturday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. for graduate students; Sunday, May, 19, at 10 a.m. for undergraduates

Location: George R. Newman Center

Centenary University

Speaker: Rod E. Hairston, author of “Are You Up For the Challenge? 6 Steps to Lasting Change Starting Now”

Date: Saturday, May 4 at 9 a.m. for Bachelor of Science & Associate of Science Degree ceremony; and 1 p.m. for Bachelor of Arts, Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts & Bachelor of Social Work Degree ceremony

Location: Anderson Field

Drew University

Speakers: James Van Der Beek, who starred in TV’s “Dawson’s Creek,” is the speaker at the undergraduate College of Liberal Arts commencement. Harriett Jane Olson, former general secretary and CEO of United Women in Faith and a social justice activist, is speaking at the Drew Theological School ceremony. Laura Winters, a Drew professor of literary studies, writing, and studies in religion in the Arts & Letters program, is speaking at the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies ceremony.

Dates: Friday, May 10, at 10 a.m. for the Drew Theological School; Friday, May 10, at 3 p.m. for the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies; Saturday, May 11, at 10 a.m. for undergraduates

Location: Outdoors on the Drew campus on the Mead Hall Lawn

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Speaker: Stephen K. Klasko, formerly the president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health

Date: Wednesday, May 15, at 9:30 a.m.

Location: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford

Felician University

Speakers: None announced

Date: Thursday, May 23, at 9:30 a.m.

Location: The Rink at American Dream in East Rutherford

Georgian Court University

Speakers: Rodrigo A. Colón, Jr., author of “Win The Race for 21st Century Jobs” and CEO of Rod Colón Consulting, will address undergraduates. John Harmon, founder, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, is the graduate commencement speaker.

Date: Thursday, May 9, at 12:30 p.m. for undergraduates and at 5 p.m. for graduates

Location: Athletic fields outside the Wellness Center

Kean University

Speakers: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City and a frequent presence on PBS Nova, Discovery and other programs, is the undergraduate commencement speaker. CNN anchor Abby Phillip, host of “NewsNight with Abby Phillip,” is the graduate commencement speaker.

Date: Tuesday, May 14, for graduate students and Thursday, May 16, for undergraduates

Locations: New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark for graduates students; Prudential Center in Newark for undergraduates

Monmouth University

Speakers: None announced

Date: Thursday, May 9, at 10 a.m. for the Leon Hess Business School; 1 p.m. for the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences; 4 p.m. for the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies, School of Social Work, School of Education, and School of Science

Location: OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch

Montclair State University

Speakers: None announced

Date: Monday, May 13, at 9:30 a.m. for the College for Community Health, College for Education and Engaged Learning, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and University College; 3:30 p.m. for the College of the Arts, College of Science and Mathematics, Feliciano School of Business, and School of Nursing

Location: Prudential Center in Newark

New Jersey City University

Speaker: Bettina L. Love, a Columbia University professor and author of “Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal”

Date: Wednesday, May 15 at 10 a.m. for the School of Business and College of Professional Studies; 2 p.m. for the William J. Maxwell College of Arts & Sciences and CAS/Education dual-degree recipients and Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe College of Education

Location: Red Bull Arena in Harrison

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Speakers: Marjorie A. Perry, president and CEO of MZM Construction Co. in Newark, is the undergraduate commencement speaker. Santo Politi, founder and managing partner at Spark Capital, is addressing master’s degree recipients from the Newark College of Engineering, J. Robert and Barbara A. Hillier College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts and Martin Tuchman School of Management. Samir Saini, a civil engineering graduate of NJIT, is speaking at the master’s degree ceremony for Ying Wu College of Computing. Carolyn Merkel, a Martin Tuchman School of Management graduate in technology management, is delivering the keynote address at the doctorate commencement.

Dates: Friday, May 17, at 9 a.m. for undergraduates; Wednesday, May 15, at 9 a.m. for master’s degree students for the Newark College of Engineering, J. Robert and Barbara A. Hillier College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts and Martin Tuchman School of Management; Wednesday, May 15, at 1:30 p.m. for the master’s degree ceremony for Ying Wu College of Computing; Wednesday, May 15, at 5 p.m. for the doctorate commencement ceremony.

Locations: NJIT Wellness and Event Center in Newark for graduate students and Prudential Center ( for undergraduates

Pillar College

Speakers: Dale Caldwell, president of Centenary University

Date: Friday, May 17, at 2 p.m.

Location: Zarephath Christian Church in Franklin Township

Princeton University

Speakers: Sam Waterston, the actor best known for his role as district attorney on “Law & Order,” will speak at the university’s Class Day celebration the day before commencement; Princeton traditionally does not announce its honorary degree recipients before the commencement ceremony begins.

Dates: Class Day ceremony for seniors is Monday, May 27, at 10:30 a.m.; Commencement is Tuesday, May 28, at 9:30 a.m. for all graduates

Locations: Class Day is at Cannon Green on campus; Commencement is at Weaver Stadium in Princeton

Ramapo College

Speakers: None announced

Date: Wednesday, May 29, at 8:40 a.m.

Location: Prudential Center in Newark

Rider University

Speakers: Samantha Haines, a member of the Class of 2023, is the undergraduate speaker. She is a software engineer at Lockheed Martin. Arcia Stokes will deliver the student speech at the graduate Commencement ceremony. She previously received a bachelor of arts in music and a master of vocal performance and vocal pedagogy at Rider, and is appearing with her classmates as a doctor in education.

Date: Saturday, May 11, at 9:30 a.m. for graduate students and 2:30 p.m. for undergraduates

Location: Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton

Rowan University

Speaker: Ric Edelman, a prominent author/ investor and 1980 graduate of Rowan when it was still known as Glassboro State College

Date: Saturday, May 4, at 10 a.m.

Location: Richard Wackar Stadium in Glassboro

Rutgers University – New Brunswick and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences

Speaker: Freeman A. Hrabowski III, who marched for civil rights as a child in the early 1960s and is a former president of the University of Maryland

Date: Sunday, May 12, at 10 a.m.

Location: SHI Stadium in Piscataway

Rutgers-Newark

Speakers: Tariq Trotter, the musician known as Black Thought and co-founder of The Roots

Date: Wednesday, May 15, at 9 a.m.

Location: Prudential Center in Newark

Rutgers-Camden

Speaker: New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges is the Rutgers-Camden and graduate school commencement speaker. Wawa president Brian Schaller is delivering the keynote address at the School of Business-Camden ceremony. Loretta Sweet Jemmott, vice president of health and health equity at Drexel University, is speaking at the School of Nursing-Camden ceremony. Associate Justice Fabiana Pierre-Louis of the New Jersey Supreme Court is speaking to Camden graduates of Rutgers Law School.

Date: Tuesday, May 14, at 4 p.m. for Rutgers-Camden and graduate school commencement; Wednesday, May 15, at 10:30 a.m. for School of Business-Camden; 1:30 p.m. for School of Nursing-Camden; Thursday, May 16, at 10 a.m. for Camden College of Arts & Sciences and University College-Camden; and 2:30 p.m. for Camden graduates of Rutgers Law School

Location: Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden

Saint Elizabeth University

Speaker: Margaret Roman, a 1972 graduate who served as director of the school’s honors program for 26 years

Date: Friday, May 17, at 10 a.m.

Location: Front lawn of the university’s campus

Saint Peter’s University

Speaker: Eugene J. Cornacchia, president of Saint Peter’s University, who is retiring at the end of June

Date: Friday, May 17, at 10:30 a.m.

Location: PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel

Seton Hall University

Speakers: Gary Cohen, broadcaster for New York Mets and Seton Hall basketball games

Date: Tuesday, May 21, at 9 a.m.

Location: Prudential Center

Stevens Institute of Technology

Speakers: Marques Brownlee, better known as MKBHD, a celebrated YouTuber with nearly 19 million subscribers, will address undergraduates. Michael Kakos — a scientist, entrepreneur and global business leader — will address graduate students.

Date: Wednesday, May 22, at 9 a.m. for undergraduates and at 4 p.m. for graduates.

Location: PNC Arts Center in Holmdel

Stockton University

Speaker: Dave Sholler, a 2006 Stockton University graduate and chief communications officer for the Philadelphia 76ers and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment

Date: Friday, May 10, at 9:30 a.m.

Location: Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City

The College of New Jersey

Speakers: None announced

Date: Thursday, May 16, at 8:30 a.m.

Location: Lions Stadium in Ewing

William Paterson University

Speaker: State Sen. Nellie Pou, chair of the state Legislative Latino Caucus

Date: Wednesday, May 22, at 9 a.m.

Location: Prudential Center in Newark

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Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.