Brandstetter will deliver the “Message of Appreciation” during Elon University’s 135th commencement exercises on May 23.
Craig Brandstetter ‘25, a 3+1 student majoring in finance and business analytics, in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, has been selected to deliver the “Message of Appreciation” during Elon University’s 135th commencement exercises on May 23, 2025 in Schar Center.
“It’s an honor to speak for the senior class,” said Brandstetter, who is from Mahopac, New York. “Having this opportunity was one that I felt I couldn’t pass up. This will be an amazing experience for my parents as well, seeing me speak at graduation.”
While the honor of student speaker previously went to the class president, Elon opened the process up to the entire class in 2024 when Grace Ackerman ’24 was chosen. The senior commencement speaker is chosen through an application process and reviewed by a selection committee chaired by the Student Government Association senior class president, graduating seniors, faculty and staff.
From those applications, 10 semifinalists are chosen and added to the SGA spring election ballot where every member of the Class of 2025 can vote. Then, three finalists are invited to share their speech with the selection committee and one is chosen.
“I was hanging out with friends and one of them asked me in that moment, ‘Did you get the speech?’ and I said ‘I didn’t find out yet’ and that was when President Book called me. It was shocking in that moment,” he said.
With a father and three brothers in the business world, Brandstetter chose Elon for the 3+1 Accelerated Dual Degree Business Program, allowing him to earn his bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in business analytics in four years. While at Elon, he has been able to gain real-world experience in the field, including with Elon’s Center for Organizational Analytics, working with a team of other students to do data analytics for local businesses, along with several other internships.
In March, Brandstetter and two other Love School of Business students also won the Hanes Brands Challenge during Business Analytics Day, an open-ended competition where student teams proposed AI-powered solutions for product development, marketing and supply chain efficiency. Brandstetter, Robert Barcello ’25 and Dominic Mazza ’25 introduced the “Hanes Style Index,” a scoring model that combines trend velocity, consumer sentiment and longevity projections to guide Hanes Brands in investing in the most promising apparel trends.
With a 4.0 GPA in his master’s degree program, Brandstetter is president of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and the Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society. He is also the vice president of finance for Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.
“My experience here is completely shaped by the people I’ve met, the friends that I’ve made, whether it be those in my fraternity or those I have met in other aspects that this campus has to offer,” said Brandstetter. “This school is really an amazing place and it’s the people that make it so amazing.”
Brandstetter was also impacted by his Winter Term study abroad experience in Italy, “Culinary Transformations: The Science Behind What’s Cooking.”
“It was an unreal experience,” said Brandstetter. “Elon gave me the opportunity to leave the country for the first time and it was definitely an eye-opening experience.”
During the “Message of Appreciation,” Brandstetter will focus on the growth of the Class of 2025 and how certain experiences have contributed to that growth – something he knows well.
“I’ve grown up a lot. The person who I was four years ago is not the same person I am today and that all stems from the mentors and friends that I’ve made here,” said Brandstetter.
After graduation, Brandstetter will move to Charlotte, North Carolina where he will be a corporate credit risk analyst for Wells Fargo.
“Being a credit risk analyst would be a great starting point for me in banking,” he said. “I will allow me to learn from the ground up and gain many skills. The dream is for my brothers and I to open our own firm, Brandstetter Financial.”
Elon’s 135th Commencement
Elon University will celebrate the Class of 2025 through a variety of events leading up to the 135th Commencement Exercises on May 23, 2025.
Mary Jo Festle, Maude Sharpe Powell professor of history and distinguished university professor, will deliver the keynote address for Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection, Under the Oaks on May 20 at 7:45 p.m.
Wes Durham ’88, a play-by-play commentator for ESPN and ACC Network, will address graduates during both undergraduate ceremonies inside Elon University’s Schar Center on May 23, 2025.