Kelly McCreary, an actor and producer who currently plays Dr. Maggie Pierce in the hit ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, will deliver the keynote address at Scripps College’s 93rd commencement exercises on Saturday, May 13, 2023.
McCreary, an alumna of Barnard College, is known for her work across television, film, and the stage. An outspoken advocate for voting rights and voter education, she has been an ambassador for former First Lady Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote campaign, as well as a representative of several other local and national Get Out the Vote and voter registration initiatives. She also serves as a board member for Equal Justice Society, a nonprofit committed to transforming the nation’s consciousness on race through law, social science, and the arts.
“Scripps College students are known to be seekers and speakers of truth, as well as leaders empowered to build compassionate community,” McCreary says. “They are graduating into a world that is ready and waiting for their mighty contributions. It is my honor to join the class of 2023 as they celebrate this momentous occasion.”
Scripps senior class co-presidents Ishi Gupta and Elaine Yang managed the commencement speaker selection process. They said that McCreary’s work promoting diversity in educational spaces, increasing visibility for labor unions in Los Angeles and serving as a “storyteller and advocate in the entertainment industry” will provide inspiration for the class of 2023.
“She is someone who practices her truth every day and amplifies the voices of people who might be too afraid to do so,” Gupta and Yang say. “Through her body of work, she captures the care, courage, and compassion our class has maintained throughout our college years. We are truly honored to bring her to our campus.”