Joanna Stern ’06, senior personal technology columnist at the Wall Street Journal, will be the featured speaker at this year’s Commencement, College officials announced today.
Approximately 525 students in the Class of 2025 will receive degrees during the ceremony, scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday, June 15, on Hull Plaza.
Joanna Stern '06
Stern will receive an honorary doctor of letters degree.
“We are excited and honored to welcome Joanna back to Union,” said President David R. Harris. “From her time as co-editor of the Concordiensis to her role at one of the world’s largest media outlets, Joanna has proven herself to be an insightful journalist with an enormous following. I’m one of the many people who enjoy reading her newsletter every Friday.
“Joanna’s ability to make personal tech accessible to a diverse audience is a rare skill. That she does so in such an engaging way is all the more impressive. Joanna is an exceptional representative of our College, with its focus on liberal arts, engineering and computer science. I am looking forward to hearing the message she will share with the Class of 2025.”
An Emmy Award-winning journalist, Stern has spent nearly two decades covering the tech industry with a focus on consumer impact - helping readers navigate trends and make smarter tech decisions.
At the Journal, she writes a regular column, authors the weekly Tech Things newsletter and produces and hosts the Tech Things video series.
Her documentary, “E-Ternal: A Tech Quest to Live Forever,” won a 2021 Emmy for outstanding science, technology or environmental coverage. Her investigations into how technology shapes our lives have earned her Gerald Loeb Awards, Pulitzer nominations and more.
Stern regularly interviews the most influential figures in tech - on video and on stage - including Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Craig Federighi.
As a CNBC and NBC News contributor, she frequently appears on air to break down the latest tech news. She’s also been a guest on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon."
Currently, she’s diving into the AI-powered future with an upcoming HarperCollins book exploring how AI, robots and smart machines have infiltrated every aspect of her life. The book is set for release in spring 2026.
Before joining the Journal in 2013, Stern helped build the foundation of modern tech journalism at The Verge and Engadget. She also served as a technology editor at ABC News.
At Union, Stern was a political science major. In addition to being co-editor of Concordiensis, the student newspaper, she also served as an intern at the Albany Times Union.
Stern has often reflected on Union’s impact on her career.
She lives in New Jersey with her wife, two sons, their dog Browser and more gadgets than a Best Buy.
"Nineteen years after my own Union commencement, it’s an incredible honor to return and speak to the Class of 2025 about AI and the future ahead,” Stern said. “When I graduated, we were still carrying iPods, texting on flip phones and crafting the perfect AIM away message - BRB, Reamer for dinner.
“The future is bright - assuming the Union Zamboni doesn’t become sentient and come for us all.”