Spring Hill College announces Tania Tetlow, president of Fordham University, as 2024 Commencement Speaker

Mobile, Ala. – Tania Tetlow, president of Fordham University, will address the Spring Hill College Class of 2024 during their commencement ceremony on May 11th. Tetlow is the 33rd president of Fordham, becoming the first woman and layperson to serve in this position. 

“I am thrilled and honored to be part of the commencement celebrations. My commitment to Jesuit education began long before I was born, when my father came to Spring Hill for his bachelor’s and then master’s in philosophy,” Tetlow said. “My parents raised me nearby in New Orleans, steeped in Jesuit heritage and in awe of the heritage of Spring Hill.”

A legal scholar who examines the intersection of equal protection and criminal law, Tetlow previously served as president of Loyola New Orleans where she led the university to new heights in enrollment and academic success. As the only other Jesuit Catholic institution in the South, Loyola New Orleans is seen as a sister school to Spring Hill. So much so that Spring Hill College provided housing for students and staff of Loyola New Orleans following the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in 2021 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

At Fordham, Tetlow continues to blaze new paths. Providing a high-quality education and emphasizing the importance of the Jesuit mission and values, Fordham is one of the largest and most distinguished Jesuit institutions in the country. 

As two recently inaugurated presidents to Jesuit institutions, both as the first women in their roles, Dr. Mary Van Brunt, president of Spring Hill College, and Tetlow quickly connected. Dr. Van Brunt stated, “Tania’s commitment to the Jesuit mission and dedication to renewing and reinvigorating the higher education landscape is incredibly admirable. She has been a mentor to me as I’ve started my presidency here at Spring Hill College, and I know she will impart a wealth of wisdom to our graduates as they go out and blaze their own trails.”

Tetlow earned her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Tulane University and graduated from Harvard Law School with her juris doctor. She previously served at Tulane University as senior vice president and chief of staff. She began her academic career at Tulane Law School as the Felder-Fayard Professor and directed Tulane’s Domestic Violence Law Clinic, for which she raised millions of dollars in federal grant funds. In addition to her extensive higher education background, Tetlow is a former federal prosecutor.

The Class of 2024 will walk on the historic Avenue of the Oaks for commencement on May 11th at 9:00 a.m. To learn more about the commencement ceremony, please visit shc.edu/commencement/

ABOUT SPRING HILL COLLEGE:

Founded in 1830, Spring Hill College is the oldest Catholic college in the Southeast and the third-oldest Jesuit college in the United States. Spring Hill combines the Jesuit tradition of excellence in education and a commitment to caring for the whole person – mind, body and spirit – with innovative educational experiences. Located in Mobile, Ala., Spring Hill’s mission is to form leaders engaged in learning, faith, justice and service for life. As a result, Spring Hill students are engaged, inspired and transformed by their experiences.

ABOUT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition. Fordham awards baccalaureate, graduate, and professional degrees to approximately 17,000 students across nine schools. The University has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the Fordham London campus in the United Kingdom.