Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman delivered the commencement address for NKU’s Chase College of Law on Friday, stepping in for Gov. Andy Beshear after a travel delay prevented him from attending.
Speaking to the Class of 2025, Coleman emphasized the importance of public service, civic engagement, and the role of the law in a changing society.
Coleman sat down for an exclusive interview with the Northerner before her commencement address, which you can read about here.
Coleman’s speech was more than a simple congratulatory message, but a call to action for the graduates. She emphasized the country’s and states’ critical need for, not just strong legal minds, but compassionate and purposeful ones.
“America needs you, the Commonwealth of Kentucky needs you now more than ever,” she said, “This nation needs not only your knowledge and skills. America needs you to channel your passion and your ambition for a better life with a sense of purpose of building a better world.”
She reflected on the foundational role of the law in American democracy, describing it as “a living and breathing structure that allows us as Americans to simply be us.” But she also acknowledged that the legal system is being tested, and posed a challenge to the graduates.
“Will the values that we have upheld for 250 years continue to hold true? Will our justice system prevail and what role will you play for the law profession and for our nation as a whole?” she said.
Coleman also urged the class to embrace the uncertainties that may come their way as fresh faces in the legal field:
“Some of you may already have an idea of your path, while others are still searching,” she said. “Either way, the world you experience will help you evolve and grow.”
Throughout her speech, Coleman stressed the importance of listening, learning and leading with empathy, skills she said are essential not just in the courtroom, but in civic life more broadly.
“As a country, we have become far too fractured,” she said. “We must reignite those values that made America the greatest nation in the world.”
The lieutenant governor closed her speech by encouraging the graduates to be bold in their careers and intentional in their impact.
“Be not just brilliant in your reasoning, but thoughtful in its application,” she said. “Remember to be bold and never stop fighting for the things that you believe in.”