Major General John R. Pippy to Deliver 2025 Commencement Address at Valley Forge Military College

Valley Forge Military College is honored to announce that Major General John R. Pippy, the 55th Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, will serve as the keynote speaker for the College’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony.

The graduation will take place on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 10:00 AM in the Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion, located on the campus of Valley Forge Military Academy & College.

Following the ceremony, MG Pippy will also preside over the Early Commissioning Program (ECP) Commissioning Ceremony at 1:00 PM, also held in the Chapel. The traditional Pinning and First Salutes for newly commissioned officers will follow at 2:00 PM in Eisenhower Hall.

In his role as Adjutant General, MG Pippy oversees the Pennsylvania National Guard, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and statewide programs supporting nearly 700,000 veterans. He leads a workforce of more than 18,000 service members and 2,500 civilian employees, managing a combined state and federal budget exceeding $900 million.

A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, MG Pippy holds a degree in Environmental Engineering, a master’s in International Relations, and has completed executive leadership programs at the U.S. Army War College, Syracuse University, and Harvard’s Kennedy School. His distinguished military career includes deployments to Iraq and Syria and senior leadership roles with both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Pennsylvania National Guard.

Prior to his current post, MG Pippy served 16 years in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, holding office in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. His combined military and legislative experience brings a powerful message of service, leadership, and civic responsibility—ideals central to the mission of Valley Forge Military College.

“We are honored to welcome Major General Pippy as our 2025 Commencement speaker,” said Col. Stuart Helgeson, USMC (Ret), President of Valley Forge Military Academy & College. “His extraordinary career of service—both in uniform and in government—will inspire our graduates as they take the next step in their own leadership journeys.”