05/21/2026
We were elated to welcome back Elon alumna Katherine Blunt ’15 () to campus this week as the graduate Commencement speaker for the Class of 2026.
Now a San Francisco-based reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Blunt covers Google and the growing influence of artificial intelligence on search and technology infrastructure.
In her May 20 address in Alumni Gym, Blunt acknowledged the uncertainty facing graduates entering a workforce rapidly reshaped by AI, while also emphasizing the importance of curiosity, critical thinking and perseverance.
“As scholars, we have a responsibility to challenge AI’s assumptions in the same way we’ve learned to challenge our own,” Blunt said, “to treat it as a debate partner or research assistant, to find new ways to augment our thinking, not replace the process.”
Blunt reminded graduates that the value of their education came not just from the final product, but from the growth that happened along the way.
“You didn’t skip the struggle,” she said. “You embraced the chance to grow.”
