Commencement student speaker reflects on winning journey

When Blake Witmer got the call that she was the University of Georgia’s 2026 spring Commencement student speaker, she could barely see through the tears. But she knew immediately what she had to do: Call her family.

On FaceTime with her parents and sister, all die-hard Bulldog fans and UGA alumni, she felt like she was telling them she won the lottery. Although addressing the Class of 2026 doesn’t come with a monetary prize, for Witmer, it represents something just as meaningful. It’s a chance to reflect on a journey she already considers a win.

And she really does feel like she has won after four years as a Bulldog.

“There’s not another college like this, where a place impossibly big can feel like home,” Witmer said. “This was exactly where I wanted to be, so being able to share my story and close this chapter is really special.”