05/01/2025

Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., will deliver the spring commencement address in his final graduation ceremony as Saint Louis University’s president. 

Pestello, the 33rd president in SLU’s history, will step down from the presidency at the end of June. 

The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, in Chaifetz Arena. The event will also be live-streamed on slu.edu and archived on SLU’s YouTube channel. 

During the ceremony, the University will also recognize three individuals with honorary degrees. This year’s honorees are former trustee Patrick (CSB ‘77) and Peggy Sly, and Tom Smolich, S.J.

Pestello has served as SLU’s president since July 1, 2014. During his tenure, SLU has successfully navigated many challenges while breaking institutional records for enrollment, fundraising and research funding. 

Since stepping foot on campus, Pestello has been a visible presence, frequently stopping to take selfies with students who fondly refer to him as “Freddie P.” He’s made a number of visits to classrooms and student groups to share his thoughts and inspire students. 

“Dr. Pestello's belief in SLU's Jesuit mission and values is infectious, motivating students like me to become a better servant of others,” said Nick Parafiniuk, a senior in the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business. “From leadership stories in his classroom to various engagements, Dr. Pestello displays the importance of a value-guided leadership style through word and action.”

Just three months after Pestello began his tenure as president in 2014, protesters peacefully occupied the SLU campus following officer-involved shootings of two Black young men in the St. Louis region. Pestello’s handling of the weeklong encampment was praised by then-U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. 

Pestello successfully led the University through the COVID-19 pandemic. While other colleges and universities struggled to remain open during the fall 2020 semester and beyond, SLU continued in-person learning and on-campus living without interruption. The University managed the health of the SLU community and administered more than 20,000 vaccine doses to the campus and region.

Pestello also helped SLU reach new heights in research. In February 2025, SLU earned the prestigious Research-1 designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The distinction came six years after the launch of the Saint Louis University Research Institute, which was established following a historic $50 million gift from Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield to accelerate research growth at the University and place SLU on the path to becoming a preeminent research university.

Also under Pestello, the University partnered with SSM to create the Midtown St. Louis Redevelopment Corporation, which has elevated SLU’s role as a catalyst for major development projects in Midtown St. Louis and advanced the University’s significant economic impact on the city and region. 

Patrick and Peggy Sly

Patrick and Peggy Sly have been together for more than 50 years and are dedicated to the St. Louis community and Saint Louis University.

Patrick Sly had a long and successful career in business. For 36 years, he worked for the St. Louis-based Emerson, starting as national sales manager for power tools and subsequently holding several positions of increasing responsibility. He retired from Emerson as executive vice president in 2016. Sly, who earned his master’s in business administration from SLU in 1977, was on the University’s Board of Trustees for several years, including a tenure as vice chair of the board.

Sly also served as the former chair and vice-chair of the international board of directors for Boys Hope Girls Hope and Nine Network of Public Media. He also served on the board of Cardinal Ritter College Prep, the Ferguson Commission, the Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation, KIPP Charter schools, the Missouri Historical Society, St. John Vianney High School, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and Better Together.
 
Peggy Sly, a former educator, has a long history of supporting charitable organizations. She was a board member at the Magic House, on her parish council and a tutor in the St. Louis Public School District. Peggy also chaired the Evening of Hope for Boys Hope Girls Hope St. Louis twice.

Together, the Slys serve on the board of directors for One Classroom, which was founded by parents of children with special needs to help the St. Louis Archdiocese and parents make inclusive education possible in parish schools. 

Thomas H. Smolich, S.J.

Thomas H. Smolich, S.J., is the rector of the Jesuit community at Santa Clara University’s Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California. 

Prior to that, he served as the international director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). The organization focuses on helping refugees and other forcibly displaced people rebuild their lives. 

Headquartered in Rome with 10 regional offices around the world, JRS has more than 1,800 staff and volunteers, including 70 Jesuits, and serves upwards of 950,000 refugees per year. In addition to health and social services, JRS offers formal and informal instruction — from preschool to vocational training to computer and language classes — to approximately 280,000 people each year. While with the JRS, Smolich traveled across the globe, visiting 44 countries. 

Prior to his role at JRS, Smolich served as the president of the Jesuit Conference, which represents the Society of Jesus in the United States, and as the provincial of the former California Province Jesuits from 1999 to 2005. 
Precommencement Ceremonies 

In May, students at SLU may choose to walk in precommencement ceremonies for each college and school. This year’s precommencements kick off Wednesday, May 14. A complete schedule of precommencement events can be found at slu.edu/commencement. 

Baccalaureate Mass 

The University’s annual Baccalaureate Mass is an opportunity for the SLU community to give thanks to God for the gifts and opportunities bestowed upon graduates and to pray for their continued protection as they are sent out for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity. This year’s Baccalaureate Mass will be celebrated at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, in St. Francis Xavier College Church.