Meet Your 2025 Student Commencement Speaker

During his time at Oberlin, Omukoko Okoth has learned to lead with integrity, to listen with empathy, and to serve with humility — and encourages others to do the same.

Omukoko Okoth will represent the Class of 2025 as the student commencement speaker on May 26 at Tappan Square.

Okoth will graduate with a bachelor's degree in economics (with honors), along with a minor in politics and concentrations in business and mathematics.

Since arriving at Oberlin, Okoth has been inspired to build community through meaningful change, serving as a resident assistant, student senator, and facilitator of Barefoot Dialogue groups. 

A dedicated student leader, Okoth has been involved in numerous campus organizations,  including the Entrepreneurial Club, the National Society of Leadership and Success, African Student Association, Finance Club, Soccer Club, and the Dean of Students Student Advisory Board. He also served as a Peer Advising Leader and Peer Mentor for first-generation students. Omukoko is the co-founder of the African Brotherhood, a campus community that helps students from various African countries and cultures navigate their transition to Oberlin—their new home away from home.

Okoth boasts an extensive list of professional accomplishments. He was named an Athens Democracy Fellow, a Newman Civic Fellow, an Impact Investment Fellow, and an Ashby Business Scholar. Last summer, he worked as an analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York City.

He received the National Student Employment Association’s 2025 Student Employee of the Year Award for his compassionate peer mentoring and student employment work in the Center for Student Success. Other notable recognitions have included the Senior Leader Award, Omicron Delta Epsilon (the international honor society in economics), and Alpha Alpha Alpha (the national honor society for first-generation college students).

Okoth plans to explore opportunities in research and policymaking within the field of economic development. He hopes to contribute to sustainable, data-driven change in Kenya, applying rigorous analysis and innovative policy design to promote inclusive growth.  

“My time at Oberlin has been an enriching and fulfilling experience of personal growth within a community of brilliant, loving, and supportive individuals,” he says. “I have been pulled out of my comfort zone, challenged to think boldly, and encouraged to explore a world of endless possibilities. I have been taught to lead with integrity, to listen with empathy, and to serve with humility.”

Want to know more about commencement weekend 2025? Visit oberlin.edu/commencement for the full list of programs and events.