Raise Your Hands

This past May, Saint Vincent College celebrated its 179th Spring Commencement with a message that will echo far beyond the ceremony. The message was delivered by Kimberly M. Colonna, C’94, Esq., an accomplished education attorney and vice chair of the College’s Board of Directors.

Colonna, who graduated from Saint Vincent with highest honors in English and a minor in education, returned to campus as a symbol of what it means to live a life of purpose. As she stood before the class of 2025, her message was simple and timeless: raise your hands.

“When I invite you to raise your hands,” Colonna said, “I’m first asking you to commit your energy and talent to the community around you, through civic engagement and a willingness to participate in a dialogue about difficult issues.”

Colonna’s lesson comes from a career marked by advocacy, leadership, and service—along with honors like Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and the Local Legal Leaders award. She challenged the audience to meet today’s complex reality with courage and compassion.

“You could do nothing. You could raise your voice and shout down opposing views. Or, you could raise your hand and offer to dialogue with others to find solutions,” she said. “I urge you to raise your hands because your community will need you to connect with people you don’t agree with to solve problems.”

In recognition of her service to education and to Saint Vincent College, Father Paul Taylor, O.S.B., presented Colonna with the Presidential Medal of Honor as part of the ceremony.

As the 179th Spring Commencement concluded and 314 graduates crossed the stage, Colonna’s message echoed as both a challenge and a blessing. Raise your hands to serve, to connect, and to celebrate. Or, as she quoted from Saint Catherine of Siena: 

“Be who you are meant to be, and you will set your world on fire.”

Read Colonna’s full commencement address on the SVC website.