Valley Forge Military College and Valley Forge Military Academy Name Maryland Governor Wes Moore ’96A ’98C as Commencement Speaker

Joint ceremony set for Saturday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. on the Valley Forge Military campus in Wayne, Pa.

Valley Forge Military College and Valley Forge Military Academy today announced that Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland, will deliver the commencement address at the institutions’ joint commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion on the Valley Forge Military campus.

A proud Valley Forge Military alumnus, Governor Moore’s connection to the institution runs deep. He entered the Academy as a middle school cadet, continued through the College, and rose to the highest cadet leadership role as Regimental Commander. He graduated from the Academy in 1996 and earned his associate’s degree from Valley Forge Military College in 1998.

“Governor Moore represents what Valley Forge is all about: growth, grit, and leadership built through standards and service,” said Col. Stuart B. Helgeson, President of Valley Forge Military College (VFMC). “He lived the experience our cadets live. He earned the trust of his peers. And he carried that foundation into a life of service at the highest levels. We’re honored to welcome him home to speak to our graduates and families.”

Moore was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army after Valley Forge, through VFMC’s Army ROTC Early Commissioning Program. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and became the first Black Rhodes Scholar in the university’s history. 

As a Rhodes Scholar, he earned a master’s degree from Wolfson College, Oxford. He deployed to Afghanistan as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, served as a White House Fellow, authored best-selling books including The Other Wes Moore and Five Days, founded BridgeEdU, and later served as CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation.

Now serving as Maryland’s 63rd governor, Moore was sworn in on January 18, 2023, and made history as Maryland’s first Black governor in the state’s 246-year history.

Commencement Day Schedule (May 9)

• Joint Commencement Ceremony: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion

• ROTC Commissioning Ceremony: 1:00 p.m. (on campus)